The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-24
Australia's Labor Minister
Believes Our Lack Of Certain
Laws Breeds Discomfort.
CHILD WORK IS DEPL0RED
PromiscuOus Generalization,
tt Is Said, May Result
in Disorder.

trial conditions throughout the United
States by way of preparing himself to
recommend to his own country new
labor legislation programme. hnds US
slow in dis0rHing certain fundamental
principles vhAeh all other nations In the
world are already conceding' and with'
out the concession OF which he sees no
security against Bolshevism or COM
mur,sm OF some kind equally bad
These fundamentals. he says. are the
standard length working day. the min
imum wage, some general method OF
protection against unemployment, and
proper restrictions against child labor.
This last" he added. 'is rather weak
spot in America. l think, although
! have observed among the various
States certain disconnected efforts TO
make the restrictions"
The visiting Cabinet member Is @. y.
Becky who is also an associate COM
missioner OF the Board OF Trade or New
South Wales, and IL recognized as
leading Australian authority upon in
dustrial problems.
An Advocate of Cooperation.
Having thus provided "a new starting
point for democracy" Mr.. Beeby says
nation must create a system by which
employers and employees can be brought
and kept together in cooperative produce
ton His present task Is devising such
a system.
He comedies that all this implies Gov
ornamental recognition OF trade union
Ism and collective bargaining. But that,
Agt2 coll
twenty years ago.
sof course there will be no such thing
as an open shop. We already have none
AZ the term open shop Is understood IN
, America"
When interrupted and asked II It was
true, as alleged. that Australia was 30
union ridden that foreign capital fights
shy OF II he replied:
1.-THE best answer Is the circumstance
that between 1910 and 1915 Australians
annual wealth production rose from
under labor governments, administering
labor legislation as the law of the land"
America, says Mr.. Beeby. has i'm
pressed him as being incoherent Gan
spithet which II. @. Wells once used OF
us) as to Industrial matters He thinks
our basic trouble IL lack OF some ce-
hesivs national labor policy. And he
docs not see how the unionization Of
practically all industrial workers can be
avoided. for you can't get industrial
regulation without recognition Of the
right to organize. And see no hope OF
dealing with these matters in America
unless a centralized control is given to
Congress-"
schoolIess Children At Work.
OF child labor in America he men
toned that on the Pacific slope he had
seen children who never go to school. but
follow the fruit picking season from
State to State. The parents in many
cases were to blame, but the children
must have protection and schooling.
whether the parents would or no.
Australia's present compulsory arbi-
tration system. Mr.. Beeby said. had
proved of enormous value during the
war They are now considering drop
ping the compulsory feature for some
thing better.
What Mr.. Becky expects when he gets
home to recommend will involve amend
ment of the Constitution. which can he
done In Australia by concurrent majority
votes of the States and of the people.
Under his amendment he would vest the
whole Industrial power In the Federal
Parliament on the unders landing that
existing state agencies are taken over
and used in the establishment OF a uni
form system"
The Federal Parliament would also be
empowered TO enact uniform laws on reg
nlation OF factory and shop. industrial
safety. workingmen's compensation and
accident and social insurance. method
Of fixing the minimum wage, control of
child labor. apprenticeship and voca-
tional training. prescribing the standard
working day. with the exceptions there
to, II any, and all other matters directly
affecting the relationships of employers
and workmen.
other Radical Plans Favored.
His other recommendations, which do
not involve amendment. are outlined
thus:
I'm order to encourage the settlement
Of Industrial disputes by conference and
negotia ton instead OF litigation the pres.
snt arbitration courts and wages boards
TO be superseded by a national council
NJ industry state or county councils op.
Grating under the direction OF the ma.
tional council; industrial councils for
separate industries or establishments
shop and mine committees to deal with
technical matters peculiar to different
establishments.
THE administration of the whole sys
tenn would be vested in the nationa
council with extensive powers"
Mr.. Beeby admitted that under this
system labor bargaining collectively
could be held to agreement by no com.
pulsion mitch more enectual than mora
suasion and public opinion. But he saiG
his hope was that with the conference
and Cancellation boards always in ses
sion disagreements could be adjusted
as they arose instead OF accommodating
and coming to head In a threat t.
lock out or to strike and thus necessi.
tating physical enforcement OF arbitra
ton.
He would have his national council
of industry composed of six employers
and six employees representatives, witt
an independent chairman. He would
provide for annual revision Of the mini
mum wage to meet changing economi,
conditions
Australia. Mr. Beeby said. has IL
Reds, but they are numerically few. ar,
nave their principal influence among IN,
coal and metal miners. Revision of th
national labor programme, he thinks
will nullify their agitation.
Sees Dem utilization Dangers.
Mr.. Beeby sees openings for disorde
and discomfort In the promiscuous de
mobilization Of American troops with
out provision for their employment Ii
Australia, where they had more tim
90 plan for readjustment after victory
soldiers are kept on the army payrol
FOR three mont rs while with Goveranen
assistance they hunt Jobs. In nearly al
cases they are placed in positions yield
Ing steady Incomes before their Nina