The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-10-06

tons and the other neceSSarieS of War
could be produced in undreamed-6f
quantities.
So vast have been the changes that
Sidney Webb, the famous economist,
has said that mo such sweeping trans
formation in the organization of Brit
ish industry transformation not oc-
curing in one trade only, but stimuli
taneously in nearly all branches of
manufacture-has taken place since
what is known as the industrial revo-
luton of 17S0-1S25. The present revo-
luton, compressed within little over a
couple of years, has been rendered pos
sible only by the abrogation of the
network of usages and regulations, GUS
toms and rules which the trade unions
so periodically allowed for the dura-
ton of the war;"
The conclusion is becoming stronger
that previous conditions cannot be re-
stored. The hands of the clock cam
not be turned back. The way of life
of an epoch that has ended cannot be
resurrected, however ardently it may
be desired.
The British people are therefore
presented with a first-class dilemma.
They have either to attempt the i'm
possible and perhaps the undesirable
or else they have to break a sacred
Tn
by B. w. Huebsch of New York Sid
ney Webb offers one suggestive es-
cape from the impasse.
T1G dunrCo 3-.~ta--'---.--1---i A..
ability to restore 1914 conditions. He
warns his country, however, that
smooth attempts to patch up compro-
misses, to effect "a sham restoration,
will lead only to bitterness. For a
generation at least he insists that work
men would talk of the great betrayal"
That kind of class enmity would in
evitably result in endless strikes and
the practice of "ca canny," the British
equivalent of sabotage.
Consequently Mr.. Webb sees only
one satisfactory remedy. This is far
reaching and fundamental. 1t is
summed up in a program which he
calls "a new settlement"
Very naturally he found that the
objects the unionists sought We're hui
manly correct if scientifically ineffi'
Gent. They wanted to assure them
selves against unemployment. Con
sequently they wanted a monopoly OF
the work in their craft. They wanted
to assure a living wage and decent
standard of life to themselves. Ac'
cordingly they limited definitely the
amount of work which they would dc
at a given wage. They wanted, more
over, vote in the determination OF
the conditions under which their work,
ing life should be passed.
In many cases the jobs of the old
unionists no longer exist. New ma
| chinery, enormous engineering reor
ganization, new forms of specialize
| ton, the division of old tasks, the
creation of simplified work, have cumu
latively made it impossible for thu
trade unionists to attain their human
ends in the old way. But Mr.. Webb
insists a similar or greater satisfaction
can be obtained through new settle
ment.
This in the first place would pre-
vent unemployment. The government
can practically eliminate the periodic
slackenings of industry by planning
it's own work long years ahead. This
in no wise includes emergency build
ing for relief purposes. The nation
would simply, by taking thought, fiji
its constructive program into the vary
ing employment needs of the empire.
A second element in the new settle
ment would be the legal establishment
of minimum-not a maximum-wage
in each industry. That minimum would
not be the least at which human life
might be preserved. 1t would be the
customary wage in each trade. II
would protect the worker against the
perpetual fear of reduced wages which
is his incentive toward reducing the
output.