ARBITRATION ISSUE.

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 17839, 11 October 1929, Page 2

ARBITRATION ISSUE.

A SOCIALIST VIEW.

"DOG CHASING HIS TAIL.” On behalf of its candidate for North Sydney (Mr B. E. Judd) the following manifesto was issued by the Socialist Labour Party of Australia: — As a general law, before the workers get an "increase in the living wage” from the Arbitration Court they lftust prove by sworn evidence that their cost of living has Increased sinoe the last award, and they ask the Court to increase their nominal wage—viz., the amount of money they receive—sufficiently to enable them to purchase as much food, etc., as they could purchase immediately after the granting of the previous award.

Dearer Living. From 1901 to 1927 the cost of living has more than doubled. The increase in the money wage has not been so great as the Increase in the cost of living. In other words, while the money wage has increased the “effective wage” has decreased. In spite of the expenditure of millions of pounds by the working class of Australia on Arbitration Courts, Wages Boards,' Fair Rents Courts, Cost of Living Inquiries, etc., the members of the working class cannot purchase as much meat, butter, eggs, milk and other necessaries of life now as they could 26 years ago. Although their productivity has greatly increased the working class is both relatively and absolutely worse off than 20 years ago. What greater proof do our friends desire of the hopeless futility of arbitration? An interesting sidelight on this matter is that some years ago. the "living wage” in New South Wales was increased by about 17s a week. The “increase” made such A great difference in the life of the workers that probably not one in a thousand of them can even remember the increase. Such shorter working hours as have been secured from Arbitration Courts are largely, if not wholly, nullified by things beyond the control of the Arbitration Court.

Example of “Progress.” It is not possible for a man and bis wife and two children to secure adequate food, clothing, housing, and recreation on the living wage as “fixed" by Arbitration Courts. And it is impossible for a woman to secure such things on the £2-odd “living wage” as “fixed” by such courts. The following is a familiar instance of “progress” under arbitration. The railway and tramway workers get an “increase” in their money wage. The Railwav Commissioners increase fares and freights, and then other workers get an “increase” in their money wage on the ground that the increased fares and freights have “increased" the cost of living. Then the railway workers secure -another "increase" on the ground that the cost of living has “increased,” and so on ad infinitum. Such action by the workers under arbitration is scarcely as intelligent as a dog chasing his tail. And yet Messrs Scullin, Theodore and Co. say that such an idiotic procedure is “sacred' and something “our forefathers fought for”! , , Munv Labour Party speakers who ' arc advocating arbitration do not believe in It. Arbitration has many evil effects that cannot be set forth in this manifesto. The politicians who are advocating arbitration do not believe in having their own incomes regulated for improved conditions under capitalism are obsolete, and arbitration is worse than useless to the workers.