INDUSTRIAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23353, 19 November 1937, Page 3

INDUSTRIAL WORLD

NEWS AND NOTES

By J. T. Paul

Economics is said to be concerned solely with means, while the problem of ends is left to ethics. This is clearly untenable. Ethics cannot ignore means, and economics cannot ignore ends. It is the moral issues involved which at present are most urgently in need of clarification. The effective handling of social problems involves a synthesis, but not a fusion of social science and social philosophy.—Professor M. Ginsberg, at the British Association. ANOTHER UNIQUE STRIKE There have been some very curious strikes in the history of the world’s work. Even in our own Dominion (says a northern writer in reminiscent mood) we have had some experience in this respect. One of the most discussed of these industrial disturbances, threatened or actual, was the Auckland jockeys’ strike that took place eight or 10 years ago. The jockeys had no union or award, and, therefore, had no standard for their working conditions. Their pay was a matter for private arrangement with the respective horse owners. It might be a specified wage or a specified amount for each win, or both. Hours of work varied, and at the time mentioned discontent was rampant among the riders. It came to bursting point just prior to the holding of an Auckland race meeting, and the local riders announced their intention of not riding their mounts. Short notice was given, and they sought the assistance of some of the local unions. Members of the Tramway Union expressed sympathy with the jockeys and decided in favour of assisting them by refusing to run tramcars to the racecourse. On the morning, without consulting the tramwaymen, the jockeys decided to fulfil their engagements. When the tramwaymen found that the races were being held while they were idle there was a rush to take the trams out. That was the finish of the strike, although there were recriminations afterwards. In America there have been strikes of undertakers and a hold-up of burials for a short period. From Australia comes another curious strike. Twentyeight cricket umpires at Queen’s Park. Sydney, staged a sit-dov/n strike and demanded more pay on a recent Saturday. When the Eastern Suburbs Cricket Association refused their demands, and the umpires tired of "sitting down,” they left the park. Fourteen matches were affected, the games being continued with players or bystanders who volunteered tfo umpire. The umpires have been discontented for some time.

THE FORTY-HOUR WEEK IN FRANCE The French Cabinet has decided to appoint a committee to investigate the economic situation, with the aim of increasing production if necessary, by altering the present labour code. The committee, presided over by the Premier, will include high civil servants, the chairman of the Employers’ Association, chairman of the Chambers of Agriculture, and the Secretarygeneral of the French Confederation of Trade Unions. It will be divided into 13 sub-committees, covering all branches of economic life, each of which will make proposals on which the Cabinet will frame decrees. Although the official statement emphasises that the present labour code will only be “modified by agreement, ’’ there is an uneasy feeling that the main object of the inquiry is to “ adapt ” the 40-hour week and to transform it, at least, in many industries, into a 2000-hour year. The adaptation, sponsored by leading Radicals, is strongly opposed by the unions. Paid holidays will not be affected by any change made. LABOUR IN SCANDINAVIA The annual conference of the Scandinavian Labour Parties and Trade Unions took place at Stockholm on August 18 and 19. Delegates were present from Denmark. Finland Iceland. Norway, and Sweden. Reports were presented to the conference on the situation in all the countries represented. Among the questions dealt with was an invitation from the Dutch Labour Movement to a conference of the Labour Movements belonging to the “ Oslo ” States, the question of interchange of speakers and the question of hours of work and holidays, especially with regard to the introduction of the 40-hour week. The Socialist Prime Minister of Sweden (Albin Hansson) pointed out that in 1912 the Trade Unions in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden reported a total of 260,000 members. To-day they were able to report 1,500,000 members. During the same period the Social Democratic Parties m these countries increased their membership from 190,000 to 730,000. In 1912 there was a Socialist poll o< 690,000, and to-day the total poll was 3,250,000 Socialists. In Sweden the Social-De-mocrats had 49 per cent, of the seats in Parliament: in Denmark, 46$ per cent.; in Norway, 46 per cent., and in Finland 41$ per cent. RETURNING TO LIMITED DEMOCRACY The new Constitution of Esthonia. which has been adopted by the National Assembly, is (according to a Labour exchange) more democratic than the Constitution adopted some time ago under the influence of the then very strong Fascist Movement, but less democratic than the first Constitution of the Republic, adopted in 1920.

It is intended that parliamentary elections shall take place at the beginning of 1938. The semi-dictator-ship exercised since 1934 will be partially terminated within a few months by the operation of new Constitution. The new Constitution provides for general elections to the Lower House. One member will be elected for each of the 80 new electoral districts. Of the Upper House of 40 members, 10 will be simply nominated by the President, and the other 30 elected by various corporate Chambers. The workers will have only three representatives in the U per House, which will not represent in the slightest the true social gradation or the real temper of the people. As to how the elections for the Lower House will fare depends mainly on the extent of the freedom for electioneering which will be granted by the Pats Government, Unhappily, the Esthonian workers are split into several groups—Right Socialist Party, Left Socialist Group. Socialist Trade Unionists and the Communists. It is expected that about 20 workers’ representatives will elected. The middle-class Democrats are planning to form a large Oppositior block. A MOMENTOUS CONFERENCE The Sydney Labour Council decided at a recent meeting by an overwhelming majority to convene a trade union conference to discuss reasons for Labour’s failure to win seats in the House of Representatives at the recent Federal elections, to review the activities of the New South Wales Slate Labour Executive, and suggest remedies for bringing about a consolidation of Labour's forces in New South Wales. The Newcastle Trade- Hall Council unanimously adopted a resolution demanding the removal of the LangBcasley leadership of the Labour Party in New South Wales, and several branches of the Labour League have arrived at the opposite conclusion.

A report adopted at a meeting M the New South Wales State Labour Executive condemned the attacks now being made “to undermine the leadership of Mr Lang and Mr Beasley.” It was charged that, in view of all tnat Labour had at stake in the Federal election campaign. “ the deliberate acts of sabotage on the part of socalled industrialists stood on their own in the sordid record of political treachery in Australi" ” The report

contained a warning that if the industrialists continued their revolt against Messrs Lang and Beasley they would be expelled from the Labour movement. “ Sabotage will not be tolerated any longer," the report added. • Replying to the threat made by the New South Wales State Labour Executive to expel from the Labour movement those industrialists who were opposed to the leadership of Mr Lang, the secretary of the Sydney LabourCouncil (Mr R. King) stated at Melbourne that a majority of the unionists in New South Wales were determined to put an end to the Lang dictatorship in that State. Mr King said that mere threats of intimidation by an alleged dictatorship would not deter the union movement in New South Wales from getting the Labour Party back to a democratic basis. It has been pointed out by union leaders that since the dictatorship had been conferred on Mr Lang, and since the State Labour Executive had been under “ Inner Group ” control. Labour in New South Wales had had one long series of defeats. The Federal Labour Government was wrecked in 1931 and the State Labour Government was wrecked in the following year. Labour lost the Sydney City Council election in 1931, the Federal elections in 1931. the State elections in 1932, the Legislative Council referendum in 1933, the Federal elections in 1934. the 'Sydney City Council elections in 1934 the State elections in 1935. and the Federal elections in 1937. IMPLICATIONS OF ECONOMIC RECOVERY In an analysis of the social effects of economic developments during 1936-37, the International Labour Office, in the recently-published 1.L.0 Year Book, notes that the most striking and immediate effect of these developments is “ the fact that more goods are being produced, better prices are being paid, and more men and women are at work than was the case a year ago. While no inclusive social index can be cited, it is probably true to say that social well-being reached a higher level in 1936 than in any of the five preceding vears." The Office adds:— "But these immediate consequences of a resumption of business activity are by no means the only socially significant features of economic evolution during the past year. That recovery in various countries has been found to coincide with a change from a policy of active or passive deflation to a policy of monetary management and the application of some form of expansionist technique is one of the most suggestive social-economic developments of recent times. It is a fact of vital interest both to employers and to workers. It has shown the employer that the State and the banking system together can take measures to increase, decrease or maintain the total volume of effective demand: and that when goods in general throughout the world cannot find markets at remunerative prices, the situation is not entirely one beyond human control. It has shown the

worker that the total , volume of employment depends to a great extent on the monetary and financial policy followed. This does not mean that the difficulties of particular industries and of particular areas can invariably be dealt with by monetary measures. Nor does it mean that every country is master of,its own economic destiny. But the lessons of the period 1929-36 give good reason to believe that suitable monetary and financial management in the various countries, provided it is internationally co-ordinated, can help to prevent depressions of the depth severity, and duration of that through which the world has just PE Tlfe* Office goes on to show that the achievement of international economic co-operation touches on.the problem of social welfare at three m “Untii n some international monetary agreement has been reached, laying down the broad principles on which the major countries propose in future to base their policy, no country can rely upon effective demand from abroad being maintained, however expertly it succeeds in adjusting the demand coming from its own people; and so long as this situation enduies. employment rests upon an unstable foundation. Until trade between countries can proceed more freely and witn less frequent changes in the regulations and obstacles placed in its way, the standard of living in every country tends to be impaired. Finally, andl n some ways most important of all, until long-term capital can once again move to countries lacking the necessary equipment, the great improvement in living standards that may thereby be brought about is inevitably held back. “In all of these mam fields—the technique of monetary and financial adjustment, the co-ordination of State intervention, and international economic co-operation —the means employed are principally economic, but the results that may be attained are of the utmost social importance. Ihe year 1936 is noteworthy in that it has seen some progress in each of these spheres; but in each case, too, what has so far been accomplished is no more than a beginning. So long as the threat of war and the possibility of recurrent depression darken the horizon, the outlook for social progress remains obscure.”