Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-07-23
INCREASED WAGES
IN ENGLAND IS
SERIOUS PROBLEM
1t Is Feared That Labor Will
Demand So Much That For
eign Competition Cannot Be
Met,
(Assoclated Press Correspopdence ,

London, June 20.-Recent increases
in wages of British workmen have
been the subject of very serious de-
bate by economists, employers and
others as one of the bedrock prob
lens of reconstruction, in the sense
that the nation may stand or fall by it.
Some say the question which con-
fronts British industry is whether the
pendulum of wages may not swing so
high that production for competition
with rival nations will become I'M
profitable and then impossible.
Higher wages for all" is the de-
mand of the organized and morgan
lied workers With it is the cry for
shorter hours, better conditions of liv-
ing, freedom to meet the employer
on a plane of business equality, as two
business men meeting together"
More concentrated work, more in
telligent work and we will try to meet
you" is the response of many en-
ployerS.
The question has been seriously
raised here whether England in the
past, has owed her pre-eminence in
the worlds industrial markets to un-
derpaid British labor That view was
expressed by Frank Vanderlip. New
York banker, when he returned to-
America few weeks ago after spend
ing several months in Europe.
There are shrewd business men who
contend that British labor has not
been cheap, but considered solely in
the cost of production has been rela-
lively costly when compared with the
labor of the United States
The topic came forward at a re-
cent informal gathering in London of
American and British captains of in
dustry Some were men who COM
mand great enterprises, who think in
terms of millions of pounds and bri-
gades Of workmen. Their talk dealt
with the iron and steel productions,
shipbuilding, the various industries
and manufacturers of machinery. mo-
tors, sewing machines and the like.
The consensus of opinion among
them seemed to be that the average
English workman of pre-war times,
paid a small wage, got more money
for what he did than did the aver
| age American artisan, that the labor
! cost of producing commodities in this
| country was greater than for produce
! ing similar goods in the United states.
Limitation Of output by trades
/ uIllDllS anu against ldDDI
/ saving machinery, not lack of ability,
| were held to be the chief reasons fof
smaller results by British working
| men. speed up the work and you
| throw some of us into the street; more
| labor-saving machines and more men
| out of work to be supported by union
funds was the labor point of view.
There is still another factor, the
cost of beer, and that is rather deli
/ cate question in some quarters. IF
the United States goes dry, then God
| save Englandn' exclaimed a British
cabinet minister discussing the indus
| trial outlook
The beer item is considered by some
economists a relatively heavy one in
| the personal budget of the mass Of
| British workingmmen and an item
| that cannot be left out of the reckon
| ing in striking a balance for COMPARE
son of the workers of England with
| those of America.
However stands the dictum that
| England owed her past trade suprem-
| acy to underpaid labor, there are many
| observers here today who declare the
outlook now is in the opposite direc-
| ton.