Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-10
BRITISH LABOR SEEKS CONTROL
Unions Aim Is Not to Get More Money With Brans
to Run the Shops
By GILBERT VIVIAN SELDES


continues to work al I'M. form I'm, 10 ,i
CHOSEN representative of all the Nyorls.rs
Wnen any complaint has TO be made and
who must be consulted by the pronr;etor
when any change in shop methods is TO be
inaugurated The shop stewards make for
control IN the shop; they have not Vet at
tanned any standing in the industry al large
But the trades unions are recognizing the
shop stewards as legitimate officials, and
their status will soon be legitimatzed,
Second. At the opposite end of the scale,
For the workers to control an Industry they
must include brain workers as we'll as man
ual workers; the salariat as well az the uroIc-
tariat. And British labor has at last in
Nited into its fold workers by hand or brain -
At both ends Of the scale. then, we have
The same thing In the individual shop and
in the wide field Of politics the labor move
lnent is preparing TO take over the control of
industry.
What is the employing class doing to pre-
vent this? 1t is banding itself together; il
is proposing alternative solutions: II is
making threats, and it is<counting on the
disruption of affairs after the war All that
TO be sure But il is also making conces-
sions, and tho greatest of these il it's accent =
ance of the famous Whitley report
The Whitley report was made by n sub
committee of parliamentary commission in-
structed TO investigate industrial conditions
In the course of its reports II issued a brief
memorandum suggesting Il certain type of
organization which might make smooth the
relations of capital and labor. That report
was taken up with enthusiasm and was nres
entity adopted by the Ministry of Labor so
that its present position is that of a frame
work or charter upon which industrial rela-
tions must be built in the future. The essen
tial thing In the report is the section which
advises 'the formation of joint standing in
dustrial councils in the several industries
COMPOSED of representatives Of en-
ployers and employed. ." 1t does not
m 10
The idea of these joint committees or
councils, which are to exist triply-for the
whole of an industry, for each industry I'm
each district and also in each shops that
| all matters which concern the industry dis.
| trict or shop, such as wages, hours. slack, pc
| RODS, and, eventually. markets, combina tions
| syndicates, are TO be settled not by the EN-.
| ployers alone Out by the employers in close
connection with the representatives of the
| employees. The mastery of the employer Is a,
| an end. The cooperation Of the two parties
| interested in production under the guidance
| of the great party Cthe State) concerned will
| consumption is beginning.
| What has not been emphasized in discus
| sions of the Whitley report Is this: that 4
\ really provides a school In, which the worker,
| will learn to manage their factories and theil
| industries. Today they may not be able I,
run their industries; today the attempt nigh
| lead to ruin. Tomorrow they will have beer
| long IN school and will know their lessons
| The Whitley report Is the beginning Of tn,
decentralization OF power In industry. III
! adoption parks the turning point IN III
uA~<Qtx ~ e<oVss 3 .liI n e. 4 4 ~ ..