LABOUR AND THE WAR.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14237, 19 March 1915, Page 6

LABOUR AND THE WAR.

AN APPEAL TO BRITISH WORKERS.

Pr«l Association—Electric T-Virrar-h-Copvrieht LONDON, Thursday. The Right Hon. A. ,T. Balfour, Sir G. V, Askwith, Mr 0. A. Hopwood, Sir George Gibb, an other officials, representing tho Admiralty, War Office and Board of Trade, attended the Labour Conference. Tho Right Hon. D. Lloyd George said* "Even- country engaged in the war has found the expenditure on war material in excess of anticipations. Iho General Staff in France has met the difficulty by voluntarily organising the whole of the industries in the country. We have tho additional difficulty ot hnviii" to increase the personnel ot our army tenfold. The duration of the war, anil oven the Allies' success, depends on our increasing and accelcratin" tho output of munitions, preparatory to last week's lighting there was the most tremendous concentration ot artillery witnessed at any point during the war. This not merely insured suc,.e«, but saved the lives of British sol-

Proceeding Mr Lloyd George said the French had told him that, the concentration of lire at a particular spot enabled them to achieve their purpose with one-tenth the loss of hie otherwise required. Every mouth there was delay in the output, which mean* two or three months added to the war. Prior to the organisation of the British industries for the war, it was essential to have the complete co-operation of the employers aud workmen. The Government taking over the works did not mean that a general or an admiral would, be installed instead of the present managers. The Government proposed to impose a limitation otprolits, because otherwise there would be a difficulty in appealing to labour to relax: its "restrictions and put out Jts whole strength, unless it knew the State was getting the benefit, and noc merely a particular individual or class. If they merely assumed control of the business and guaranteed profits within a certain limit, employers would _ not have the same interest in limiting their expenditure. Consequently the Government desired an understanding with the employers. But the present purpose was to lay certain points before the representatives of the worker* at a moment when important work was liable to be interrupted by labour disputes. The Government did not say to the workmen that they ought never to .-on-plain. But it said that work should ,'outiuue while the disputes were being adjudicated upon. The Government accordingly proposed that there should be no strikes or lockouts during the war, where Government work was pending, but the difficulties should be settled by an impartial tribunal. As the conference might decide the question of the suspendiui,' of restrictions on the output during the war, it may be difficult ■for the workers, but it was very, very -important to the State. There was the ciuestion of the number of machines one n'nm was permitted to attend, also the employment of semi-skilled labour, and of women. The French women wero (loin.*- a vast amount in the ammunition factories. The way France had met her responsibilities was something of which a- democracy could be proud. In conclusion, Mr Lloyd George saiu: '•We appeal to the British workers to do the same. Fhfally. there is excessive drinking among a minority of the workmen. The Admiralty and War OfhVe report that it is very serious in some districts, gravely interfering with the output and transport of munitions and other necessaries for the troops. The Government cannot take effective action without the support of the Labour leaders. At the end of the war Britain will either be a vassal of a German military caste, drunk with success, or will have"broken militarism for ever. It is because I realise th e importance of this, as a democrat, that I appeal to tho leaders of the workmen to assist tho Government."