New-York tribune., 1919-09-06
England's Solution
Bloomfield Praises Ally's
Handling of Labor Problem

MANAGEMENT OF MEN BY Meyer
bloomfield. The Century Company, New
York. ~
Inc Great War found England ap-
parently on the eve of an industrial
cataclysm. The workers accused the
employers of exploiting them merci-
iessly, Of subjecting them to the long
est possible hours at the lowest possi-
bic wages for the sake of extracting
the greatest possible profits. The en-
ployers, on their side, accused the
trade unions of deliberately limiting
production, os cutting down output by
'eAatlous and unnecessary regulations,
OF Offering open encouragement to
sinking. The feeling on both sides
was so bitter that no peaceful agree
ment seemed practicable. With the
outbreak of hostilities it became OBJ
vious that this state of affairs could
not go on without entaling the gravest
national calamities. The CRYING need
tor munitions made production on q
nltherto unprecedented scale absolutely
imperative. AS a result, employers and
men settled their most serious differ
ences by means of series of compro-
mises These compromises were so
important and farreaching in their eff
fects that they constitute a veritable
revolution IN British industrial history.
Mr.. Bloomfield gives a clear birds
eye view of this pc, ceful revolution.
HIS material, collected in the fall of
1918, is CLEANED impartially from
prominent manufacturers and employ
ers, from trade union officials and
Labor party politicians. In his opinion
the time is gone when the demands of
British labor could be expressed sim
ply IN terms of higher wages and
shorter hours. What the average in
telllgent workman desires now is more
control of his job, more direct voice in
the management Of the plant where he
is employed. Progressive employers
who have been willing to meet their
men half way on this demand report
that many causes of friction are re-
moved when the workers themselves
are lntrusted with some responsibility
for shop discipline and direction.
The general adoption of the so-called
Whitley report has exerted beneficial
and stabilizing influence upon British
industry. This report, submitted by q
Parliamentary committee during the
course Of the war, provides for the ar
bltration of disputes between employ
ers and men by joint board composed
equally of representatives of the work
ers and of Ne management. In general
outline this scheme is quite similar to
the plan for industrial Cancellation
which Mr. John D. Rockefeller, jr., has
been actively advocating in this coun-
try In England it has proved ex-
tremely valuable as means of avert
ing strikes and promoting better rea-
tions between labor and capital. Mr.
Bloomfield foresees an era of remarka-
BILE prosperity for Great Britain as a
result of the new spirit of harmony
and cooperation which has developed
so strongly among workers and EN-.
ployers alike. The authors own i'm
pressions only take up about third o1
the book. The remainder consists of z
full and exhaustive reproduction of the
most important documents on the labor
situation which have appeared in the
United Kingdom during the last few
sociology can find great deal of in
teresting material in this collection.
". II. G..