New-York tribune., 1902-09-05
TIE BRITISH LABOR STATUS.

The presidential address at the British Trades
Union Congress. which is holding Its thirty-fifth
| yearly meeting this week IS said to have been
pessimistic in tone and TO have contained some
severe denunclations OF the British Govern
ment. The pessmism is more easily TO be ex-
planned than the deDunciations. The last year
was not q good one for the British working
man. Estimated by wages, 1t was the worst
! for many years. For the first time in half a
| dozen years there was net decrease of wages,
and considerable decrease. Statistics show
| that 10000 persons had their wages increased,
| while 493 900 had theirs decreased. Worse than
! that, the gross increase to the 100000 was only
| S2050 week, while the gross decrease TO
| the 493O 900 was $4,000 week The net
weekly decrease then, was $3S5.00O. In the
preceding year there was a net gain of $1O45-
600 and in the year before that a net gain of
| S455, 900 q week
That, ii must be confessed, is a depressing
state Of affairs. 1t is true that the decrease in
wages was confined to two industries, mining
and metal working, all others showing an in
crease. But those are the greatest two indus
tries of the kingdom, fundamental to all the
rest. Nor can we perceive elsewhere in the sta
tistics material compensation for the loss in
wages. True, there was slight net lessening
of hours of labor. Only $50 persons had their
hours Increased, while $3.50 had theirs de-
creased, and the net result was a decrease OF
58, 728 hours a week, That meant decrease OF
two hours a week to those affected but the
number of those affected was too small to be Of
general Importance. If spread over the whole
industrial population the decrease of working
time would have been less than ten minutes a
week for each person
When we come TO the item of strikes the
showing Is more satisfactory OF all those
whose wages were changed only two Der cent
engaged In disputes upon the subject That ,s
the smallest percentage on record Three
fourths OF them settled the new conditions ami
cably, by arbitration or otherwise That must
be regarded as gratifying and encouraging
though there are those who rail against II saw.
ing that the reduction of wages is directly due
to the abstention from strikes If. tbev GOV
the working people had been more ready 70 on
on strike they would not have suffered suob ra
duction Of wages. Happily that is NOT tho ofs
cial or the general view. for the conoraSs 5s
favorably considering a resolution calling for
the establishment Of supreme court Of com.
pulsory arbitration.
1t is of unique interest to observe v,bo4 ~,
British delegates TO the United States ho,,o -
say about conditions here, and esnaciouv
about the trusts and their effect unon tho in
terests Of workngmen. These DELEGATES ,rb,
have carefully studied conditions here with tho
observant skill of practical experts declare tbat
American trade unions enjoy a great advantaqs
over those Of Great Britain. while as for tho
terrible trusts, ''up to now they have made no
bad use OF their combination wages having
tendency TO increase" This report is TO he
commended to the consideration Of those So
cialist and other agtators who declare that
wage slavery is worse here than In anv other
land, and also to the consideration of those
who necessarily portray the trusts as existing