The evening times., 1899-05-08
AMERICAN INVASION
OF BRITISH MARKETS
Consul Halstead's Report to
the State Department.
Labor Conditions in England De-
seribed in Detail.
Strikes Hindrance to the Lnrge
Nanufncturers-Th Native Work
mans Love of Holidays.

The State Department has received from
Consul Marshal Halstead, of Birmingham,
a most interesting report entitled Labor
Conditions in Great Britain
After speaking of the Britisher's par
tiality to home products, Consul Halstead
says: The determination to support home
industries is the first obstacle the Ameri-
can salesman encounters in this country,
and the second is the length Of time 1t
takes to introduce a new article. cou.d
give instances without number where
manufacturers here have declined advan-
tageous offers of competent parts OF the
articles they make, or have even refused
to allow such offers to be made, when
foreign manufacture. They simply would
not permit themselves to be tempted by
price or quality. Press and public bctn
feel at liberty to take to task anyone buy
ing manufactured articles abroad, and a
good excuse must be given.
The builders of the new electric un-
derground railroad in London were some
months ago arraigned in the press for
purchasing in America the big Elevators
which are to be used to lower the passen n
gers to the railroad level; and there were
discussions as to whether these elevators
could or could not be made here, the rail-
way people claiming, in the defence which
was forced from them, that in electrical
matters America had had so much more
experience, it was perhaps best to have
the elevators built there.
Some months ago, also, 1t was made
known that the Midland Railway Company
had ordered twenty locomotives, ten each
from two manufacturing firms in the
United States, and the newspaper COM
ments were many and reproachful; and at
the annual meeting of the Midland share
holders, the chairman explained that the
company's business had increased so
greatly that engines for immediate use
were absolutely necessary. He said the
company had given orders for 200 locomo
tives to British manufacturers, and would
have been glad to have given the rest OF
the orders at home, but all the engineer
ing works of Great Britain were so far be-
hind with work, owing to the great eIgi-
neering strike, that no British firm could
be found to accept orders beyond what
had been given them; so, as last resort,
the company had TO look to America, and
they found that not only could they have
engines Dullt very CHsdpiy lutIt, DUl ludl
the American engines would be delivered
long before the British engines were ready.
The London Daily Mail printed a special
cablgeram from Philadelphia stating that
one of the directors Of the Great Northern
Railway of England had visited that city
within a few days, and the result was an
order had been given to the Baldwin Loco
motive Works for twenty engines for use
on the Great Northern lines. The con-
cluding line read 'Baldwin's recently re-
ceived an order for thirty locomotives fol
the Midland Railway, and the explanation
is, / believe. that the Midland has recent
originally only ten locomotives were or
dered from Baldwin and ten from Sche-
nectady."
Labor Troubles to Blame.
The London Daily Mail" at once sent a
representative to interview the general
manager Of the railway company, that Of
fetal explaining that as the locomotives
could nc: be furnished by the English
manufactures in time the directors were
obliged to go to America for them. The
Mail concludes its article on the sub
iect with the statement that it is all the
outcome Of the dispute in the engineer
ing trade.
ne MAIL dlSb
upon the matter and Consul Halstead says:
THE editorial dealt with the conditions
which caused this foreign order, and
think that it has direct relation to labor
unions, and that il will serve well to post
our labor leaders and warn them against
some of the mistakes which the British
unions have made. Under the caption,
The Results of a Mistake the Nail said:
The news that the Great Northern Rail
ell r., 80
the Midland Company and ordering loco
motives in America may well inspire in us
some uneasy reflections. The original Lis
chief was caused by the most insane and
disastrous labor struggle of recent years
the dispute in the engineering trade. As
a consequence, all work in our British
establishments was thrown back, and the
foreigner was given a great opening, OF
which he tcok the fullest advantage. Ow-
ing to the arrears of work, cur British
firms were unable, even at the close OF
the struggle. to promise prompt delivery.
And thus the hold which the foreigner
has gained is being strengthened, for those
who want their orders quickly completed
are going to the United States.
There is, too, further moral for the
workman. From the Clyde shipbuilding
yards comes the story that the men who
are drawing high pay and can earn all that
they want by putting in three or four days
in the week cannot be pursuaded to labor
continuously for the six days. 1t is GER
tain that the Clyde yards are so busy that
they are turning orders away. with the re-
suit that these go to foreigners. Here,
then, the men are shortsightedly acting
against their own larger interests. and are
giving to the alien half the loaf. when
with energy, they might keep the whole
loaf to themselves. At present, this is all
very well; but when the slack times come,
how will the men like the foreign competi-
tion which they have encouraged?'
Advice to American Unions.
Commenting on this, the report of Consul
Halstead continues as follows:
That the great engineering strike was
a quarrel disastrous alike to the Interests
both of British labor and capital is well
known. and such facts and comments as
these only accentuate how far-reaching its
effects were. Some time ago. when read
ing in American papers the accounts of
the annual meeting of one of our national
labor organizations, and noticing the
friendly way in which visiting British
labor leaders were received / hoped, yet
did not at the time feel that l dared to
express the hope-it is SO easy to be mis-
understood-that all the views of these
British labor leaders would not be accept
ed by American workmen, and that their
influence would not have as pernicious an
effect upon our industries as my observa-
tion here leads me to believe they have
had on their own British industries. Now
that our export trade has become so i'm
portant factor in our prosperity, Ameri-
can labor unions will find it, believe, to
their own advantage to consider very care
fully the effect any union act may have on
that trade. 1t is tribute to the faithful
ness and energy of American workmen,
that American manufacturers can compete