The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-03
PANACEA IS SOUGHT
FOR LABOR UNREST
Settlement of Local Prob
lens Brings Netp Demands.

LONDON. Feb. 2-The Industrial I'M
rest has super seeded the Peace Confer
encs az the chief topic OF interest in
Great Britain. Many OF the leaders In
the camps Of capital and labor are
bringing out specifics for n general
remedy. The proposal OF John r. Clynes
the former Food Controller. for an In
6ustrial congress representing all inter
ests, eeens 10 be the most popular to-
day. It has 4 rival In new society
called the National Alliance OF EN-
ployers and Employed" which represen-
tative men on both sides and promoting,
One point on which every one Is agreed
Is that some genera! principles. part'c-
ulary applying TO wages and hours. must
! be recognized Local settlements Of dis
putes IN the different trades and far
tories only create unrest and confusion.
Whenever one section OF workers obtains
any particular concession the others who
have not equal advantages become dis
satisfied.
When the Ministry of Munitions gave
the machinists an increase OF IL IL per
! cent. In their pay last year, tho demand
for the same increase spread through
many unions until Il reached even the
postmen and street cleaners and finally
cost the country many millions,
Cooperative Plan Suggested.
Sir Eric Geddes has made new pro-
posal--that some trade union take over
, a large national factory and run II as
an experiment to show what can be done
by such cooperative management.
Naturally. politics is becoming in
volved in the agitation. Some workers
and free traders assert that the Govern
ment Is keeping back stocks Of food.
which might be released now. in order
TO keep up prices In the interest OF the
dealers. and also that the Board OF
Trade has an understanding with 'ha
manufacturers to maintain an embargo
against imports. in the interest OF Brit
ish goods. The protect,onists Justify
such a policy by the argument that Il
guarantees employment for British
workers, while the free traders argue
that the whole community would benefit
more by cheaper prices.
The newspapers are divided roughly
into two parties. one contending that the
unrest In due chiefly to the desire Of the
workers for better conditions OF living
and more leisure, and the other that the
strikes are engineered by Socialists and
SyndYcalists. who want to revolutionize
conditions Of industry and capture con-
troll for the working classes.
Leaders styled as Trot.kys.
The Morning Post asserts that the
chief instigators In the Glasgow and
Belfast strikes are Emanuel ShinweIl
and Simon Greenspon, both Russians.
whom It calls the "Trotzkys OF Glasgow
and Belfast" Some OF the newspa pers
commend the Governments policy in
keeping hands of
The Observer attacks the Government
policy of walt and see and urges
that the new Labor Minister. Sir Robert
Horne, who is a lawyer. be replaced by
labor leader. who should organize n
council OF employers and trade union
lists.
While the debate RACES the strike move
ment threatens to spread beyond the
ranks OF the manual wori.-l The As
ISOLATION of Railway Clerks is discussing
, action because the Government will not
recognize the station masters and agents
as a body.
The postal employees are arranging a
meeting to put forward A scheme for a
seven hours day with a half holiday
Saturday.
Unions Denounce strike.
A large meeting. called by the Clyde
side workers opposed to the present
strike. was held In tho Govan district
of Glasgow to-day. Councillor Wardley,
a labor leader. presided. There were
n number OF Interruptions and inter-
| jections during the meeting. but finally
| the following resolution was daopted:
We. trade unionists and citizens
OF Govan. condemn Fundamentally
the undemocratic and unconstitu-
tional methods which force us 10 take
part In the strike. We pledge our
, selves to support the Representatives
OF the trade unions in this country
ana to use our influence to maintain
| law and order.
movement also has been started IN
Glasgow to form patriotic workers
league on the Clyde side. the object being