New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-04

" -. W SmalieN.l
have half paralyzcd industry, and the
practical advantage is great.
Other Difficulties.
II Mr.. Lloyd George succeeds In car
rying his present plans through his
success will do more than any Coali-
tion can do toward victory. But there
are delays, difficulties. dangers, which
no bill, no measure, even were IT one OF
compulsion, can dispose of at once.
Make the laborers over into servants
Of the State by all means, but the
physical obstacles cannot be swept
away by an Act of Parliament. Time
is a more peremptory need than even
indispensable statutes. New workshops
have to be built or adapted. The Gov
eminent long since took power TO con-
troll existing shops capable OF she'll
making. They have not used IT, or
have used only part of IL. Machinery
and machine tools must be created,
skilled wOrkmen are wanted ana
there are not enough of them. Other
munitions IF war are needed not less
urgently than high explosives; more
destroyers, more aeroplanes, more ma
chine guns. Had there been none OF
that lethargy the existence of which
Mr.. AsQuith denies, had steps to pro-
vide these tools of war been taken ten
months ago, or six months ago, the sup
ply to-day would have been ample.
But to-day an ample supply is still
question of months. The speeding
up" of the industries necessary for
their production has hardly begun
Would Mr.. AsQuith deny that IN the
Ordnance Department of the War
Office there has been lethargy and
something worse than lethargy
The labor troubles, which themselves
are a form Of lethargy, are even TO.
day in full swing. 1t is to the credit OF
many. perhaps most, OF the mems lead
ers that they have honestly ana heart
liz tried 10 remove some OF them'
But tho men are out of hand. For
years they have been IN passive reoel,
lion against their leaders and against
the Trade Unions themselves. DIS
putes are everywhere. Strikes OF g.
gantic magnitude are threatened.
Strikes actually occur day by day on
a less scale. The shipyards and the
machine shops are half paralyzed by
them. and by the threat of them, and
bv the ind!scipline of the men. Trade
Union rules against unskilled labor ana
against men working 70 their full ca
pacitv have been in force since the
war began. The men are distrustful
Of Government promises. They get
their way bonus and they see their en-
blowers mulcted of their surplus prohts,
but still they are skeptical and mu-
tinous. There were five strikes last
week on the Clyde; others at New
castle, and others or threats OF others
at other great centres OF industry. Inc
plain truth is that the great body OF
workingmen will submit to Government
coercion in one form or another, ana
will submit to nothing else: coercion
may be disguised. but IL remains CO.
ercion. If you don't like, or II they
don't like, the word coercion, call II
discipline, call it control, call 1t no
matter what. The thing, not the word,
is what matters. Persuasion, speeches,
Mr.. LLOYD Georges sympathetic ap-
peals. the Prime Minister'S eloquence,
the Press everything has been tried
and nothing thus far has availed.
The Press has done its share. For
doing its share the government prose
cuted "The Times" and was laugheG
out of court for its pains. They had
no case, and they made mess OF what
they had. / do not object to their
trying. Better, as said before, pursue
the innocent than let the guilty escape.
But when the innocent are proved
innocent then is the moment to rejoice.
"The Times" and "The Daily Mail"
have done a high public service. If
they can keep this present Ministry
up to the mark they will do a higher
service still. G. W. S.