The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-27
David Lloyd Georges New Job.

Perhaps the most important post
In the new British Cabinet Is that
OF Minister Of Munitions, which DA-
vrD LLOYD GEORGE has accepted. To
put the matter fgurntively. he Is ex.
pected to produce two shells where
n was turned before. Success
will depend upon his ability to make
the British artisan in the war mum.
ton factories and %shipyards work
full time and even overtime. II
seems like n labor of SIsYpuus for the
new Minister. While he persuades
the men in one plant to work the
maximum number OF hours. the men
In another shop may he deaf to his
appeals. The reproach OF the Brit
ish operative has been that in the Sc
curity Of his gainful occupation and
his home he would not support the
soldier in the trenches by working
with q will the regulation number of
hours. In many cases he has thought
more Of his union than Of his coun.
try's extremity and has selfishly 70
fused to curtail his amusementa.
In the White Book issued BY the
Government recently It appeared that
In n great establishment submarine
engine filters were losing % per cent
Of their time: that in yards engaged
in constructing warships the riveters
worked only 85 per cent. OF their
time. platers 20 per cent, caulkers
and drillers IS per cent. II must be
admitted that the work IL In but
80 Is fighting and living in the
trenches in the shadow Of death. As
men in the Royal Dockyards are work.
Ing sixty hours and over n week there
can he no xcu for cutting the
weeks toll down to less than fifty
hours In private yards.
In n yard devoted to warship
repairing 30 per cent OF the iron
workers failed to report in the early
hours. also 33 per cent. of platers. 30
per cent. Of riveters and holders-on.
53 per cent. Of drillers. and "a per
cent. OF carpenters. Even after the
day was well advanced the ahsentees
included 16 per cent. OF iron workers.
81 per cent. Of p~laters. 10 per cent.
NJ riveters and holderson, 30 per
cent. OF drillers and IL per cent. Of
carpenters. And II IL shown that
after an increase OF wages absentee
Ism actually increased. War or no
war. a large minority OF the work.
men suited themselves about their
hours OF labor. The explanation
given by the managing director Of n
large s%hiphuildlng plant was that
the delinIuents made Il n practice to
work only long enough every week to
earn a bare livelihood. This director
went so far rs TO say that "the aver.
age worklngman Of to-day does not
wish 10 earn more money and put by
something for n rainy day, but Is
quite content to live from hand to
mouth 80 long ms he has as easy n time
as possible" The White Book Is full
OF instances. In less than four days
a workman in the war munitlon shops
can earn e.. and II that Is all that
he needs for subsistence he may drop
out the other two days to enjoy him
self. Admiral Sir JOHN JELLIcoE,
writing to the First Lord of the Ad-
miralty recently. said
II am very uneasy about the labor
situation on the Clyde and Tyne. .
To-day an officer In a responsible situa-
ton arrived. His account Of things on
tho Clyde was most disquieting. He
safe that the men refused altogether
to work on Saturday afternoon. that
they took Wednesday afternoon OF every
week, II not the whole OF Wednesday,
and worked all OF Sunday because they
got double pay for IT,"
The Minister Of Munitions must
change all this II It IL humanity
possible. Fortunately DAVID LLOYD
GEORGE is not only one OF the ablest
ouH'hV'o hhrh III 'I'ht pTltHlh ue-
spite his radicalism In politics, hut n
tremendous worker and hustler with
the endurance OF n o horse. His
clear understanding OF business prob
lens and his superahundant Energy
are reinforced by n fluent and elo-
quent tongue and a most attractive
personality. Add his unaffected SYM
pathy with the workingman and a
democracy that stands every test, and
the combination should make an eff
fective Minister Of Munitions. which