Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-11
COMMONS CONSIDER
DEMANDS OF LABOR
Recommendations of Workers.
and Employers Joint Body
Far-Reaching
WORKING WEEK 48 HOURS
Should Government Adopt Pro-
posals 1t Will Revolutionize
British Industry.
WORKING WEEK 48 HOURS
BY WILLIAM MALI..n.n

described al Tho mos, momen,ous
document which has been presented 10
ne country Tor number OF years'--
the report OF tho joint committees OF
workers. and employers OH Industrial
coInmittec OF the House Of Commons.
WEN the reDor, was presented to
o ege Grs aesA na; OF all the trade unions
o. the mine workers and railwaymen
II, was received with enthusiasm
snd was Unanimously adopted Among
the recommendations made in the re-
port were:
"A maximum working week OF forty
oight hours In all Industries: a uni
versa minimum wage. systematic
overtime discouraged, in order 10 give
an opportunity for those in trades with
an excess Of workers a chance of en-
toymGnt 10 all; state maintenance OF
unemployed. with opportunities for
sSSSs me and IN re4 IsHns osaazea
better provision for illness and old
aSe ana revision Of the present old
the cm aGne rSt Is eh thf fab aEe
STATE housing program :or the pur-
PCS, OF increasing, employment in the
me establishment OF national in
n ,n.nhsI council i to COASTS y twenty
workers and employers. with tho Min
iSter OF Labor az chairman. with power
70 advise-and possibly. in some cases,
iatona! industrial questions.
To Give Early Confederation.
The above, in brief. arc tho points
OF Inc repor, now under cons!dcra-
iioh by the government which. accord
irc 10 a letter written by Lloyd George
!" the conference. wouIt give the suE
tcsttons OF the committee '!nlmcd Ia tie
S..d sympaihe'ic consideration"
Should the government adopt the re-
i'oTt and recommend that IL he car
ted out -.nd thcrc Is every ndicn-
ton that this viii take placc-!t VIII
undouotcdly and entirely rcvolutjonize
i5itish industry. Never before in the
histor+ OF tho world have tho masters
and men got together and agreed on
50 many vita! points. Tho appeal that
was made by some OF the speakcrs--
representing both employers and en-
p!oNces--fcr unity OF action and a set
led program: for tho same co-opcra-
tive effort and uusclnshncss as shown
nv the men OF AL grades who gave
ihcir lives on the battienclds of the
eat war, met With instantaneous re-
:pcnsc.
'rhe reason why the Triple Alliance
~ mino Workers. raiiwayncr~ and
;rrnsport work ers-dld no, take par,
n:Eirncc was explained very well by
~" J. II Thomas. president o. the Ma
i'"nai Union ef Rai!waymcn.
VII, Other. Did Not Join.
Tho triple !Nitnncc did no, un.tc
- this conference" said SIR. Thomas,
'Not because they were hostile TO it,.
BOT because they were opposed 10 it.
hut because at the momen, when the
Z: god ia = difficult and delicate ncgo-
iistion and in The interest OF that
movement aud OF our people NC felt
s., would bc unwisc - do anything that
might cOmP!icatc the matter
Difficult and dangerous as was our
rISiiion then. no one can accuse us of
etItions We do not intend to Isolate
ourselves from the smaller trades and
Industries because We are strong and
iucY are weak.
- ~, ~ t.,
ttia! history, d stepping stone to some
lining greater. The war has proved
that patriotism is not the Virtue or
monopoly of a few II has proved
;hs, men working under all kinds of
conditions could at the call OF their
country give their lives in defense OF
high principles. II has proved that
rich men could leave ease and com.
fort in recognition OF their duty. If
il has proved that OH the battle field
let it also prove that in the reconstruc-
ton that must now take place men
ga pablo OF such heroic sacrifices should
~ least be entitled to standard of
living worthy of the sacrifice they had
made"
During the meeting a letter was
read from the Premier 10 the effect
hat II the report was adopted by the
81 the soyernmn,: The Minister OF
present that the meaning as we'll as
the spirit OF this promise would be
fully carried our. and on this guar
antee the report was unanimously
adopted.
Workers Await Action.
The workers are now awaiting the
promised government action. Tha; the
"ommitcte will recommend the adop-
ton OF all the suggestions made by
the conference is seemingly assured.
With tho. adoption of the recommen-
cations an1 the institution Of the Ma
tionai Industrial Council the trades
unions viii have practically secured
All they have worked for for years. II
WI. then be merely a case Of working
out the details ri the Organization and
settling upon some method Of pro
cedure whereby masters and men alike
WIZ bow 10 the will of the council
which viii he The united wills of the
employers and employees.
II is Qus stlCr If the report would
have been SO quickly adopted had it
no; been fer tn" present unrest in
i:urop". bu, on ,me principle that it is
an III wind ina: blows nobody any
,,ood it is .he general impression here
today that the action Of the confer
ence as supported by the government
indicates the death knell of Bolshevism
in this country.