Millions Lost in Wages. DISPLACED LABOUR.

Progress, Volume I, Issue 4, 1 February 1906, Page 82

Millions Lost in Wages. DISPLACED LABOUR.

The following article appeared in a recent edition of the " Boot and Shoe Trades Journal ";. — Sir Howard Vincent, M.P., has issued a manifesto to his constituents in Central Sheffield, showing the increase in the importation of foreign goods and the consequent enormous loss in wages suffered by British working men. The figures are taken from the Official Statistical Abstract for last year, and they show that foreign manufactured goods have increased from £9,000,000 in 185 1 to £135,000,000 in 1904, although we double the number of mouths to feed. In an appended table, Sir Howard quotes a list of 37 classes of finished goods, made by foreign labour, imported last year free of all tax or toll, and shows that the approximate wages thereby lost to British artisans were no less than £31,606,000. All these goods, says Sir Howard Vincent, could have been better made in the United Kingdom, and many of them in Sheffield and the West Riding. The following is the list, and it gives the principal finished articles (other than food and drink) displacing British labour ; the official value in round numbers — the value is really greater, as it is given by the importer, and there is no penalty or check . and the approximate wages lost to British artisans in 1904 ■ — Official Wages value. lost Finished articles. £ Brooms and brushes 344-000 172000 Buttons and studs 280,000 140,000 Boots and shoes . . . . 973,000 486,000 Carriages and motor cars 2,638,000 1,319,000 Cotton manufacture? .. 4,668,000 2,334,000 Cutlery and hardware .. 1,194,000 600,000 Cement 39 3. 000 196,000 Cork manufacture? .. 728,000 182,000 Cycles 82,000 41,000 Electrical apparatus .. 845,000 422,500 Embroidery and needlework .. .. •■ 1,259,000 629,000 Flowers (artificial) . . 772,000 386,000 Fancy goods .. .. 1, 375.000 687,500 Glass manufactures .. 3,379,000 1,689,000 Hair manufactures .. 114,000 57.0°0 Implements and tools .. 547> 00 ° 273,500 Joiners' and turners' work 2,000,000 1,000,000 Jute manufactures .. 2,207,000 1,103,000 Gloves 1,506,000 753'°°° Linen wares .. •• 678,000 339.000 Matches .. . •• 465.000 232,500 Brass 325.0003 2 5.ooo 162,500 Copper .. . •• 895,000 447.500 Cotton manufactures .. 4,668,000 2,334,000 Girders, etc 776,000 388,000 Iron and steel (wrought) 684,000 342,000 Rails 243,000 121,000 Various metal manufactures 728,000 364,000 Zmc .. •• •• 562,000 281,000 Mouldings .. •• 248,000 124,000 Paper . . •• 4.669,000 2,334,500 Sewmg machines .. 374.°°° 187,000 Silk manufactures . 12,700,000 6,350,000 Stationery( other than paper) 287,000 143,000 Toys and games .. .. 1,102,000 551,000 Watches 838,000 419,000 Woollen manufactures . . 8,900,000 4,450,000 Other Articles .. .. 3,434,000 1,717,000 Total £63,212,000 £31,606,000 The woollen and worsted imports come largely from the Yorkshire firms who have moved their factories to Roubaix, Rheims, and other places, so as to command two markets,and not employ British labour. Is the Bradford district, asks Sir Howard, wise to permit this unfair trade, which is now extending to Sheffield ? Had these £63,000,000 worth of goods been made in the United Kingdom, as would have been the case sixty years ago, over £31,000,000 would have been paid last year in wages m Great Britain and Ireland. This would have given a wage of 30/- a week to more than 397,000 persons — chiefly heads of families. Would there, in that case, concludes Sir Howard Vincent, have been any unemployed problem ? Probably not, and especially if simultaneously the 3,000,000 acres lost to arable cultivation m the last thirty years, and displacing four rural labourers for every 100 acres, could have been retained in cultivation.