The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1919-08-30
D0MEST|CPEACE
IN GREAT BRITAIN
IS IMPERATIVE
Economic Crash Would Be Dis.
astrous,: States Former.
Labor Secretary.

LONDON, Aug. 2s.-warning that
Britain must go to work and must
keep at work to avoid an economic
crash which will ruin the nation, is
given by W. A.: Appleton; formerly
of the General Federation of
Trade Unions and one OF the most
prominent labor men in England.
The present conflict will lead to: dis
aster and an experimental revolution !
such as some theorists wish; will
force the English people to starve. or
emigrate, declares Mr.. Appleton in
The Democrat. It remains for EN-
ployers and workers to back up the
work Of those who died to defeat Ger
many, says Mr.. Appleton. He says:
Russia has demonstrated the ease
with which industry. can be destroyed,
but Russia has a broad agricultural
basis; her vast territories and her
great resources offer her opportunities
for recovery which Britain does not
possess. She can smash her 1nanufac-
lures with greater impunity than any
other state because two good harvests
and two good seasons Of export will
go far to rehabilitate her. Her ex-
ports, too, are food and raw mate
rails which the world must buy.
Rehabilitation Slow.
I'm our own country the conditions
are entirely different. If we play
ducks and brakes with our manufac-
turers and with our export Of finished
goods, 200 (and not two) years might
be insufficient for the rehabilitation
Of our affairs. We live very largely
by exporting goods upon which we
have expended skill and intelligence,
but which many nations can manufac-
ture for themselves if our supplies are
arrested or our prices rise too high.
IAN experimental revolution such
as some theorists yearn after would,
by smashing industry, intlict irrepara-
bic loss and leave men, women and
children to starve or emigrate.
rs it peace then amongst ourselves;
shall we face the facts Of life or lose
ourselves in the mysteries of death I?
Our situation does not admit of fur
Their delay or of continued faith in
our capacity to middle through. Our
great chance came when the arrnis-
tice was signed.
Had all those at home turned their
attention to production for export and
towards the creation of public conf
dence, the period of crisis would now
have been behind. Unfortunately, we
sought to obtain by rhetoric what can
only be obtained by hard work, and
because of our false start our handi-
cap has been increased, and this win
ter at least our food will surely be
dearer and perhaps scarcer.
I'VE began the war with a national
debt of f710,000,000. On June list,
1919, this had increased to f7,738,000,-
900. In 1914 the total Of our imports
was f696,000,000. In 1913 we were
importing, mostly on credit, $780,
100000. without peace we can never
liquidate these liabilities, nor save
! ourselves from starvation. Peace with
Germany is fine thing, but peace
within our own borders is Of much
more Importance.
Must Have Peace.
"Our war costs include 100000 of
| our best producers dead; 100000 OF
our best producers maimed-no longer
| producers, but still consumers; we
have 100000 tons Of our shipping
at the bottom of the sea, and before
We have finished We shall have f9, 0oo,-
100000 Of debt around our necks. We
need peace. Our competitors, includ.
ing Germany, are already in markets
we formerly exploited.
The navy and the army performed
the tasks allotted to them in an at.