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Waikato Times, Volume 88, Issue 13432, 10 March 1917, Page 4 (Supplement)

NO LIMIT OX EITHER OUTPUT OP, EARNINGS. MET?IT THE TEST (B\ Lord Sydenham.') I" 'he pel iod el peace which followed the conch mioi nj [he glta: \\ ar- l;i»L!li i ' almost u ithoin interruption I'mm 1,','.", i i" the British pi opt. shu\w d i ;gnr ! ui:-nrpasM'.| in their lii-im; . Gn at '"in- ! \ i iitiiuis followed .ii uipid -me. s-inn. ! IlKhistrv and i aininorce n.-, i i licmht - I "ever before appr -bed. I cannot dis- I ellss the psyeholOL-ii ;ij call-a > .i| (hi., as- j tonishiiig as-eriion ol nat ,il , Iticiency j following -reai eeoiioniic iosm's ~,.d uti- I cheeked by heavy taxation. It must suffice to «ti\ ilia; increase of production on a vn-i M-aie coiim rtc 1 i Groat Britain mi i ihe premier workshop oi tin world. r< built In r liuam ia! ' position mi a linn li.-im-, ;ind :.; i -s than thirty wars lar mere Ui:in i onipensated lor tin ra\ au.es . ; ; , series of exhaihting i anflicts. We nov, a-k ourselves yvha; is to bap. pen when lb:.- <iitiitest and most destructive oi all Wats is bioimut io an end. For various n »>nus we cannot expect to set siK-h a mighty development of British in tivity as occurred in the hist century, when we forestalled all other nations in deriving advantages Irom tlie use ofsti am. h is not |H)ssjb|e accurately to compare the proportion of our economic loss in our resources with that which confronted our forefathers in their task ol national reconstruction, h is certain only that our financial burden will be. crushing, and that nothing except a groat in-;, as,. m t | u . amount, combined with ,-i high standard ol quality, ol our product.on cm bring lack prosperity aild s, cine llu Wt Hare 01 our people. Ii that condition can he fulfilled, a general increase of wages above pre-war rates should be c !i.,!n, although present rates cannot in all eases be maintained.

The future lints absolutely depends upon the relations between empioyeis and employed, and the efficiency and goodwill of both. On the one side there must he enterprise, the fullest application ol all that science can give. the best administrative ability, careful irgahisation of distribution—-which, as Mi llicheiis points out, is now lacking and thoughtful regard to the conditions in which labor is carried on. On the other side there must be honest, ihoioiigh, and intelligent work, inspired by a sense of ihe dignity of all labor as an essential contributor to the na ieiial well-being, and associated with the ambition to rise by merit—an ambition more easily realised in this country than in any other. Fr, nk interchange of views between both side,,, engendering mutual (oiiiidpuce, is vital if the methods of cooperation and profit-sharing arc to hecome part ol our industrial life. Mr Gosling says thai he has "a bargain.'' and is "going to see that ii is fulfilled." He need have no fear that every privilege of the trade unions will not automatically return to them. The Question is whether they will continue the policy of restricting production, which has effectively prevented the rise

of wager.. If they persist in limiting the output of the worker, in countenancimstrikes on trivial grounds, and in throwing over agreements, no measure* that employers can take will turn tin' countiv from the downward path. The weakness of our industrial position in icgard to our most" dangeron* future <■oinnetitor is that the avoragt output of the American worker is Iron two L.i three times that of the Briton ind oilier competitors are not less fa-

vorably circumstanced. Hotter machinery and business methods may in some eases account lor this startling fact : but nothing that the employers can do will ever compensate for the regulated limitation of effort, which is economically and morally disastrous. In many ways the State can aid the reforms in car commercial' ami industrial systems which are imperatively needed: but the idea that by the manipulation of tariffs alone we can secure proKnority is I'uiile. New industries, which must be created if we are to be rendered sell-dependent in matters of production. and decaying industries, which can be restored, may require temoorary nroteetion. and the home market, which would directl.v benefit from good wages, may thus be strengthened. Some measure of preference in the countries of the Allies may be heinful for a time bin in all neutral markets ue must face sharply increased eonipetit'on. in which nothing except brains, applied science, organising | ower, ami honesi labor will avail us. Preference in neutral countries will fail in the lons run unless we are able to hold and develop any initial advantages which it may provide, and sentiment, is not proof against superior articles bitter suited to local* requirements or more expeditiously obtain'd than our wares. I'pon patriot ism. intelligence, and sense of duty in all classes t\\o fate of the nation in the difficult years following the war must ultimately rest.