The sun., 1919-07-02
Royal Commission Report Says
Confidence in Future Is
Well Founded.
SOLDIERS ARE ABSORBED
Unemployment Diminishes; in
Some Centres Labor
Is Lacking.

eight Industrial centres all over Canada
during the last ten weeks. while the
conclusions indicate unrest in the larger
centres and some unemployment, the
situation on the whole gives ground for
renewed confidence, and indicates that
Canada has passed through the most try
ing stages of rehabilitation and read
justment and has Just reason to face the
future with confidence.
1.-The Government is considering legis-
lation to make eight hours statutory
days work and to provide for State in
surance against sickness and old age,
for a minimum wage for women, girls
and unskitled labor, and for sSme formal
action that will tend to strengthen the
right OF collective bargaining. now pos
sessed by workers.
Notice has been given that legislation
will be introduced to create a court OF
commerce that will have power to inves-
tigate mergers, trusts or monopolies OF
any kind which tend to limit facilities
for transporting, producing. manufac-
turing. supplying or storing any COM
modities with q purpose OF regulating
prices. The court will be invested with
large powers over intercorporate share
holding, interlocking directorates and
any unfair methods in commerce"
Would Check High Prices.
The purpose Of this latter step is to
check high prices, but It was pointed
out by Sir Thomas White to the COM
mittee on inquiry that inflated prices
and high cost OF living were world wide
phenomena that could be corrected only
by increased production Of foodstuns
and economy in use and distribution.
The report of the Royal Commission
tells Of considerable unemployment in
the larger centres but little in the
smaller towns. Throughout Canada
there is great scarcity Of labor on the
farm, most pronounced in Ontario, and
the provinces where there Is unemploy-
ment there is unrest In some manu-
featuring towns like Kitchener, there
is actually a scarcity OF labor. One
local Government employment officer re-
ported he had 1900 applications for
farm help. but he was unable to per-
suade any of the 500 applicants for
jobs to take these places on the farms,
owing to short season, isolation. poor
housing accommodation and low wages.
Tie commission reports that the re-
turEed soldiers have to a large extent
been reabsorbed into civil life, gener-
ally by being taken back into their
former positions. On account OF rest
lessness and discomfort reacting on capi-
tai and enterprise. the commission found
everywhere a great reluctance on the
part OF those possessing unemployed
capital to risk II in new enterprises or
in the expansion of those already estab-
lished.
To meet the situation the commission
recommends the prosecution of public
works by federal. provincial and munich
pal governments. to provide work and
means OF living for unemployed in the
IL 1t hAtf dc
aforestation. reclamation of waste land
which would prove a sound investment
from the social and economic point OF
view.
Would Stabilize Employment.
Everything which can be done to pro-
vide secure tenure of employment will
be an important factor in allaying dis
content, the report states. I'VE recon-
mend to your Government" II adds,
the question OF making some provision
for system of state social insurance
for those who. through no fault of their
own, are unable to work. whether the
inability arises from lack OF opportunity
sickness or old age"
The high cost OF living is assigned as
chief cause OF labor unrest The value
OF higher wages has been neutralized
by the inflated prices OF materials. and
there is a deep seated belief that the
high cost OF living Is due to profteerins
in the necessaries OF life.
An instrument IN that is the cold stor-
age plants, which tend TO separate the
producer and the consumer.
Another cause is the present expen.
sive system of distribution. developing
too many middlemen.
The commission urges that the work.
ers be recognized on a higher level, thai
labor should not be regarded merely
as a commodity or an article OF com,
merce."
Improved relations would follow tn,
adoption OF that view as n basic princi.
pie in good faith between employed and
employer, paving the way for protit shar.
ing, Joint control of industry and pro.
duction. shorter hours and the right e
organize.
Some attention is paid by the com.
mission to the difficulties In the way Of
shorter hours. where climatic conditions
and daylight are big factors. as In farm
ing, fishing and logging.
The commission finds that most Ca.
madam employers OF labor refuse to rec,
ognize union organizations of their EN-.
ployees. and persist in dealing with
them as individuals. or as committees OF
employees, without regard to their at
filiation with the union.
The right OF collective bargaining I,
urged and the conviction expressed In
the report OF the commission that frank
acknowledgment OF this right by EN-
ployers will remove one of the mos,
serious causes of unrest.