INDUSRRIAL UNREST

Waikato Times, Volume 93, Issue 14521, 19 November 1920, Page 6

INDUSRRIAL UNREST

AMERICA AND BRITAIN COMPARED. (From a Correspondent.) LONDON, Sept. 30. A comparison of labour in the United States with that in Great. Britain is the subject of a letter to The Times by Mr G. A. Pascoe (Cliristcliurcli), who is on a business visit lo this country. "Being a New Zcalander who has just completed a business trip to the United States." Mr Pascoe writes. "where I visited <>o- plants engaged upon machine, tool, and engineering manufactures, and was able to observe the industrial energy in 30 of the most important towns in that Continent, I am naturally most anxious concerning the unfortunate industrial conditions that exist in the Mollier Country. A Warning. "While I have the greatest admiration for Americans and many of their customs, one does not like to realise that if we do not quickly regain normal conditions in the industrial world of Great Britain our industrial supremacywill pass to them. They are on the job. They have learnt many iessons during the last few years, and they have not hesitated to profit by them. I found that all the manufacturers whom I visited were making an honest effort lo improve on quality of their products. In the past they have manufactured chiefly for local demand, but now their plants have been enlarged to such an extent, and there arc so many newcomers in the field, that they have no alternative but to strike right out for the world's trade. There is no idea of dumping, but they are now making every effort to send out their goods so that each shipment will bring a repeat order. What I observed in llie engineering industry applies equally to many other trades. No Preferential Treatmont.

"While the British Dominions will always come to the Mother Country for their requirements, we shall get no preferential treatment from other countries, and our work-people in England and Scotland will soon be in a sorry state if our manufacturers are unable to obtain their full share of the trade of the world. Sir Alfred Herbert's recent statement at the Industrial League at Olympia is significant of what may happen too often in the near future. America is having certain troubles of her own to contend with, and at the present time railway transportation is in a very bad state, far worse than most people here imagine; tint with few exceptions her people are working well, and while I was there individual output was rapidly increasing, so it is likely, at the beginning of the year, after the Presidential election is over, that manufacturers will be in ;i position to give immediate deliveries and will be right after the world's trade.

Energy of Americans

"If our Labour leaders in this country really have the common welfare of its citizens at heart, let some of them travel for three months in the U.S.A., and observe the tremendous energy that is being developed by the 100,000,000 in that Continent, which energy lias got to find an outlet in the world's markets. Let them ascertain how well the great majority of work-people are paid and treated, and how they respond in output: then, if they really love their country, there will no advice to their followers to 'down tools' when they come back. From the national viewpoint the British Government woul.l iind the expense of sending, say, three or four leading Labour representatives to see what is being done in the U.S.A., well justified, as t am certain the experience they would gain would greatly assist Labour people to realise the danger that looms ahead. Keep On With the Work.

"By all means let the accredited leaders of Labour agitate, and go on agitating for better conditions, and, like the old Maori chief, possess the great heart to light, on for ever and ever; but —at the same time —'keep on with the work'; and if I have any knowledge at all of employers, workpeople will gain more that way than by present methods. After .all,- if., you cannoi, get what you want one way, try another, ami I imagine that to-day most British employers are in such a frame of mind that they will grant any reasonable requests to their workpeople if only they can have the assurance that there will be continuity of honest effort by Labour, people will be surprised with the results they will achieve both in wages and improved conditions of welfare by deliberately seeking to gain the confidence of that very shy, elusive substance, 'capital.' They may even get some of it for themselves."