The sun., 1919-06-10
Trade Imitation,

There is no phase Of present condi-
tons OF more Importance to our people,
and especially to our workers, than the
existing imitation In all lines OF trade
and commerce.
At very recent hearing before the
Royal Commission in Canada Thomas
Findley. general manager of the Ma ssey-
Harris Company. employing 1000 men,
after describing his company's indus
trial councils and retirement system,
said:
Il attribute the general unrest more
than anything to the expectations that
. have been held out during the past two
or three years to workers generally OF
vastly different conditions after the close
OF the war. l believe myself there will
be betterment. but I am very pessimstic
about the immediate future. ! do not
think that everything can be expected
to be done at once under present indus
trial conditions. There never was a
time, II seems to me, when II was harder
TO get the wheels OF industry running.
Whatever Industrial conditions are in
Canada-and TO my mind they are not
ideal-they are nevertheless. the best
In the world to-day. Compared with
tralia they are very good.
I'VE are all faced with the great
problem OF how we are going to get rid
or inflated prices. ] do not know how
but | do know that we cannot have real
prosperity until we do get rid of that
imitation. ] was hoping for a gradual
! reduction-that We would not SO 10
, speak, come to earth with a thud. am
beginning to fear that Is not going to
happen.
| Il think I was one of the first manu-
factvrers who stated that, after the
armistce there should be no attempt
! to reduce wages until the cost Of living
came down. | said that when, as a mat
| ter OF fact, It would have been easy 10
! lower wages with the thrush Of men, bu,
| felt that il could not be done unless
the cost or living came down. But |
, have no patience with the idea that this
/ Is the time for increasing wages
whether we are going to come out
OF this thing smoothly and get the in
! dustries running cannot say, but every
! thing that Is happening Just now Is Ger.
tainly making II more difficult One OF
the dangers Is that Of anticipating our
trade. The only thing that is going "a
get US out OF this trouble is more pro.
ductton and lowering of costs. II We
are going 10 have a shortening OF pro.
duction at this critical time shorter
hours will. in my mind, perpetuate the
unrest prevailing"
Mr.. Findley told how the present in.
fiation of prices was curtailng consump.
! ton to tremendous extent. People
simply would not buy a single article
more than they were compelled 10. Tn,
Massey-Harris output. he estimated, wa.
curtailed one-third by the present hiKf
cost of living.
! Asked by Commissioner Tom Moore
II the cafeterias, the first aid depart.
ment and the pensions scheme adonted
by the Massey-HRrris had added ma.
tterially TO the cost OF the articles pro.
duced the witness said that so far It had
not When asked what he Thought q,
the proposed forty-four hour week Mr.
Findley replied
81 think II Is the most unwise nro.
posal that could possibly be brought for.
ward now. The working men belIey,
that curtaillng working hours would I'm.
crease the opportunities for employment
In my mind It would have a directly op
posite effect. simply because 1t would b,
perpetuating high costs"