South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-23
REPORT UNREST IN
ENGLISH INDUSTRY
Cost of Living, Labor ReStriC-
tiOnS and Housing Are Cit
ed as Reasons.

I
commission of inquiry into indus
trial unrest has just been repro
duced in a bulletin CNo. 237) of the
/ bureau OF labor statistics Of the L.
S. department Of labor. The report
! is presented in eight sections, show
/ ing the results OF inquiries in eight
separate districts of Great Britain.
4 The commission was appointed June
| u, 1917, and the completed report
was submitted July II, 1917.
The reports for all the districts
emphasized as the leading cause of
/ industrial unrest the fact that the
portionately 10 the advance in
wages and that food distribution is
unequal. Another cause regarded as
particularly serious is the restric
/ ton of personal freedom under the
munitions of war acts, by which
workmen have been tied up TO par
/ ticular factories and have been UNI
able to obtain wages n proportion
to their skill; in many cases the
I
those of the unskilled. The re-
quirement of leaving certificates was
reported as one of the chief causes
Of dissatisfaction, but this restric-
ton has been abolished by an order
of the minister of munitions, effec-
tive oct. Is. 1917, under which any
munitions worker may leave his
present employment for other war
work by giving a weeks notice. or
such longer notice as is provided for
in his existing contract of service.
Lack of Confidence is Cause.
DilutiOn of labor and lack of con-
hdence in the government growing
out of the surrender Of trade-uniOn
customs and the fear that promises
! regarding the restoration of pre-war
conditions will not be kept, are Civ
en- special attention. 1t is stated
that the irritation caused by the
withdrawal of the trade card scheme
under the military service acts has
subsidized, but there remains much
anxiety regarding the working Of
the schedule of protected occupa-
tions. All the reports refer to the
coordination
eminent departments in dealing
with labor, and consideration COM
plant on account of the delay in
dealing with disputes and the diff
Guilty Of securing prompt awards is
reported.
Bsides the more general causes of
industrial unrest certain causes, such
as inadequate housing. liquor re-
strictions, and industrial fatigue are
mentioned as acute in some districts.
Mention is also made of lack of
proper organizations among the un-
ions. incOnsiderate treatment of
women as regards wages, delay in
granting pensions to soldiers, and
inadeqUacy Of compensation under
the workmens compensation act.
Recommend Reduction.
A number of recommendation
are made by the commissioner. OF
these the first is that there should
be an immediate reduction in food
10 be borne 10 some extent by the
government. and that there should
be a better system of distribution.
The necessity Of reducing hours,
readjusting wages TO a fairer basis
for skilled as against unskilled work
men. the fuller use of trade union
machinery. and renewal by the gov
eminent of the declaration that
trade union rights and privileges
which have been interfered with on
account of the war shall be restored
after the war, are insisted upon. The
adoption of the principle of the
Whitley report for the establish
ment Of industrial councils for each
of the organized trades. such cOun-
ellis 10 be composed equally of en-
ployers and employees This report,
otherwise known as the interim re-
port of the reconstruction commit
tee on joint standing industrial
councils. is reproduced in full in the
bulletin review. Regarding the
settlement of disputes various sug-
gestions are offered. TO the effect
that one central authority should
be constituted, that local arbitration
tribunals should be formed. that To-
cal commissioners with technical
knowledge 70 Settle disputes should
be appointed. and that workshop
committees should be esta blished.
other recommendations are that
compensation under the workman's
compensation act should be in
creased. that announcement should
be made of the governments policy
as regards housing. that pensions
committees should have larger dis
erection i'm their treatment Of men
discharged from the army. that the
recruiting system should have most
careful handling that the work of
government departments dealing
with labor should be more thor
cughly coordinated, and that when
an agreement is drawn up between
representatives of employers feder-
ations and trade unions il should be
binding on all in the trade concern
ed
While the report shows very clear
~ the prevalence and the nature OF
industrial unrest in Great Britain.
il at the same time indicates that
there is strong feeling of pa
triotism on the part Of employers
and employed throughout the coun-