Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-22
Exchanges Under Criticism.


Fl. NJ. Hyndman, socialist leader. has
addressed a letter TO the Morning Post,
criticising the efficiency OF the recently
established labor exchanges In England.
He asks:
To whom arc the services being rem
dered by the labor exchanges at heavy
cost TO the public exchequcr. answ or
unhesitatingly wholly and solely to the
employing class. IL is not often that
am able to agree with Mr.. Fels the mill
ionairc apostle of Henry George, but
when he stated at the Paris conference
that the labor exchanges had not created
employment for single unemployed
man, but had merely moved them To
other districts, where they took work
from Others he stated only the plain
truth about this much-puffed ana sx-
ceedingly expensive department, set on
foot by the liberal government.
But. unfortunately. that is not by any
means the whole truth. The newly es-
tabished labor exchanges are used, ma
tionally and locally, as a huge govern
ment "blackleg' agency. The men shifted
about not only take work from others,
but they take II very often, II not I'm the
majority of cases, at lower rates or
wages.
II myself have even heard Of one ma n
who. having been discharged from his
employment because his wages were oon-
sdered too high at 1915 a week. applied
to the local labor exchange, and Was Of
fered back his own job at $3.50 a week.
Moreover, this attempt to bring down
the rate of remuneration for labor
through these official organizations seems
to be deliberate policy on the part or
their managers
AT Bradford the local labor exchange
has issued an official circular 20 the en-
ployers of the district soliciting custom
and asking for orders The impression
among all the working people with whom
have spoken is. therefore. that the
labor exchanges are used by the govern
ment. In league with the employing class.
to bring down the level Of the wages OF
the working class.
Now. it will not. think. be disputed
that the entire working class OF Great
Britain has entered upon a trying period
in its history. Its members are striving,
with poor success far. to maintain
their standard of life at the old level
against general rise in the price OF
food. which brings down materially the
purchasing power of their money WAGES.
Surely scarcely anything can he more
serious than that at such time OF
economic and social crisis the official
labor exchanges should give sound
grounds for the growing belief that the
government Of the United Kingdom, with
the active cooperation or the hoera's
and the tacit consent of the conserve
tives. has taken sides against the labor
ers in this matter and Is engaged in a
permanent conspiracy to keep down the
rate of wages can imagine nothing
better calculated to exasperate the feel
ngs of the disinherited class against the
capitalist class than that this impression
should be justified"
In commenting on Mr.. Hyndman's
statements. the Morning Post says:
1--WE regret the determination OF hostile
CRITICS to force continued discussion OF
the actual working OF the exchanges 80
early in their career since the facts upon
which congratulations can be based are
not really available Before any con-
clusion can be reached at least full
years trial is essential. The habit OF
continually pulling up a plant to see how
IL is growing never conduces to Its heath.
and what the labor exchanges require In
a little time to settle down" [