Omaha daily bee., 1919-09-11
A Warning to British Labor
From the New York Times.

More than fifty years ago Frederick Harri-
| son. firm and wise friend of trade unions, was
a member of the Royal Trades Union commits
sion. He has seen them grow and expand un-
til they have not only obtained for themselves
| advantages then undreamed Of but, under sell
fish and radical leadership, they have become
in some respects a parasite upon and danger
to the British community. At So this old and
steady friend of the just demands OF labor, this
clear, impartial thinker in so many fields, calls
upon the labor leaders to make their fellow
workers understand how close to ruin and
starvation our people stand" Trade unionism,
which for two generations, intelligently con-
Quoted, won incalculable advantages for itself
and the whole British people, is now threat
ened with revolution in its own ranks. 1t is
infested with the exotic madness for sovietsn,
revolution, anarchism- Unless its leaders can
make the hotheads obey, unless its members
can be united in policy of common sense, it
'is lost, and in the breakdown of it ruin and
starvation await millions of our people at
| home" 4
Great Britain has debt of $4,000 100000.
1t is getting deeper into debt every day. 1t
is importing annually $4,000, 100000 more than
it exports; and for most of its imports it is
paying merely paper promises. "The wages
work DONE Bread, coal, houses, sea and land
transport are all subsidized. as very soon meat
and milk will be subsidized" That is, the pro-
ducers of these are getting far more than the
goods are worth.
Great Britain has been paying millions to
keep the price of bread fixed 1t is paying mil
lions for higher wages. 1t is giving doles to
the employed and doles to the unemployed,
many of whom prefer not to work. When the
price of coal was raised six shillings ton, Mr..
Smllie, head of the Federation of Miners, de-
nounced the decision of the cabinet as IAN cleo
ton dodge" As matter of fact, it brought
vividly and clearly before the British public
exactly what the policy means of granting sub
sides derived from taxation of the public to
satisfy the Unsuitable demands of the trade
unions Obviously subsidies must stop some
time. There will be money left from which
they can be borrowed.
When the British consumer saw that he had
to pay bigger price for coal in order that the
output was steadily diminishing the fatal
suits of trade unionism unlimited were i'm
pressed upon the taxpayers. Mr.. Harrison
seeks to impress them upon the trade unions.
He tells them that large portion of the wages
paid to workmen is simply gift. They are
paid more than their work is worth out of the
taxes of their fellow-citizens. Labor keeps
getting gifts of money (which its labor does
not earn; it is sucking down the savings OF
thrift and ping up debts to lie heavy on our
the wages of 100000 or 100000 men or
women is to be paid by the taxpayers, this
monstrous form of charity will soon end"
There will be no fund left for the gift to come
from. Great Britain" Mr.. Harrison says, "is
paying its workmen and workwomen bonus
of $1,000. 100000 more than they really earn"
Besides, the transaction is really one of paper
credit" If the practice is continued, the state
will be bankrupt, the workmen will starve.
The coal export has been failing. The Brit
ish foreign investments have been transferred
to save exchanges. High wages, the high price
of coal and materials make the price of
British manufacture so high that foreigners will
not purchase. Great Britain has got to buy
its food abroad or starve. What is it going
to buy it with, provided it has ships enough to
bring it? And now ships cost so much that
they can't be built. The miners have given a
dangerous and are seeking to give fatal blow
to the cardinal British industry on which all
others depend. Competitor nations are driving
Great Britain out of its foreign markets, even
out of its home markets. eve cannot go on
working Give days for six hours if foreigners
work six days for eight hours"
1t is dark and true picture by the hand
of friend who has motive except the good
of the trade unions and his country. Unless
British trade unions are blind to facts. to their
own interest as we'll as the general interest. |
they will 60 no further on the road to ruin.