New-York tribune., 1920-12-26
100000 Idle
AS Britain Acts
ToCurb Unrest
$500, 900, 900 Already Spent
by Government and ' asst
Army Of Unemployed
Gains Recruits Hourly
Ex-Service Men Beggars
Jobs Already Furnished to
5,250,O0O Veterans; Eco
nonlic Outlook Is Grave

(SSI SNdt )i!tdLi ID opcHuluS SppO,-
o00,000 In trying TO so We the postwar
problems of unemployment, there are
still 100000 men without work in the
United Kingdom and unemployment is
increasing.
Britain has i2.5oo.ooo people in her
working class The war took over
100000 men, more than half Of her
entire number of workers. Demobiliza-
tiop has returned 5,525, 900 to civilian
life, but the war had untitled many OF
them for return to their former trades.
Many were physically disabled Many
had entered the service directly from
school and peace found them in the
unskiled labor group
The government, by the varied activi-
ties of the emp. p.oyment exchanges, has
found Jobs fol 5.250,000 of these men,
but the situation of the ex-service man
Is still a serious problem
Export Trade Crippled
OF equal gravity is the unsettled eco
homie condition Of the country, which
Is the immediate cause of the danger
Gus growth Of unemployment Eng
lands export trade. the foundation Of
her entire economic and social struc-
ture, Is still badly crippled by wars
aftermath. Many forms Of industry
nre at 8 standstill. Without markets
for production the ~orkingman has no
feld to sell his labor the manufacturer
is unable to operate his factories.
England has lost old markets in the
East through her inability to keep up
trade relations during the war and the
disturbed financial conditions which re-
suited in bad exchange rate prevent
her from entering new fields.
In view of the high prices Of the
pound sterling, which enables the cheap
labor markets OF Germany and Middle
Europe to undcrsell her in export fields
and the disorganized rail and sea trans
port conditions that add to the cost Of
her export commodities, England Is
therefore unable to develop markets.
Furthermore, her old raw material I'M
port markets are cut off Even though
The trade agreement with Russia has
been consummated. business relations
with Russia will be very difficult unless
under a system of barter. This cuts
off o valuable import as well as valu-
able export market.
The result is that the British manu-
Facturer has few chances to sell his
Goods, even if he can afford to produce
them. And production is difficult Raw
5lateria s are hard to secure and skilled
iabor has been bad y depleted by the
var There are plenty~of men lett,
Tut they are unskilled and unskilled
labor, no matter how willing 1t may
lie, cannot enter technical trades that
denand ycers &C apprenticeship.
Trades Unions Barrier
In this particular. furthermore, the
attitude Of the trades unions has pre-
vented extension of industry: The
trades unions, a ways plaaning first for
ne protection Of the men within their
oun industr tries. have refused to permit
the dilution Of their trades either by
taking on large numbers OF apprentices
or by permitting more rapid advance
inert in journeymen employment on
The part of tuen already within the
trade.
Ii the unions would permit this big
step would te taken toward absorbing
the unemp Dyed men. AS Zach skilled
worker means Job for three or four
unskilled workers, whose part In the
process is dependent upon his skill.
The unions defend their stand on the
.rrOf nu 'h-t dlnNOn an INDUS ry
mems ultimate unemployment when
slack times come, but the fact rem ain =
there is no job for the unemployed
man
aolution. the lons process Of opening
up new markets and rebuilding indus
try. 1t is a problem that at best can
not be solved for three or four years.
Pre-waf working conditions will. come
only with pre-war distribution and pre-
war economic and financial stabiliza-
tion.
1t is condition that will improve
but slowly, and msy easily grow worse.
Any further fall in the exchanges and
further oAcAwar steps on the part OF
Russia or Germany, or any greater
br,ak-cowr of the wnr DIS economic
scheme. will result mmediately in a
further shutting down of industry and
yreater unemployment suffering.
Pubii> Buildings Seized
Unemployment 10 Eng and's most
serious internal trouble to-day. 1t Is
oolitic a<wel as economic. The 500,
coo unemployed who are beginning &C
realize that there is little chance fol
immediate permanent employment are
beginning TO develop a group conscious
ness In London unemployed men
ei.ed of waiting in the long queues
outside the government emp oyment ex
changes, have seized public buildings
and established themselves there
saying that they must liv~
somewhere. and that the government
which called them to war in 1914 owes
them at least q shelter. since IL cannot
OneF tnem lne cndnCe 10 WOrh lOI tueI!
livi,g.
There has been no opposition to act,
of this type: no st,empt to oust The
men from the buildings they have oc
cupied The public and government
sympathy 10 all Of .heir side They
are not men Of the unemr loyabls
vsgrant cass They sre young mer
from twenty-five to thirty years old
able-bod;ed and often well educated
War. however. has left them unframed
and there 10 no job for the untrainee
man.
They want work Every ono wculc
Ike to give them work. There 10 none
Even in the seizures Of property they
nave been orderly and law-abiding
There Is nothing as yet to fear from
This class In their effort honestly tc
sarn money unemployed ex-service tner
have organized street brass bands
turning over their proceeds to ths
common fund at the anempl loyed groul
headqra rters where they live. A larps
proportion Of the street beggars weal
seryice ribbons They will ssk fol
work as often beg FOR sixpence.
The Governments Policy
In dealing With the problem tho gov
9nnen' has undertaken two lines OF
policy:
First the allevation of immediate
local personal dstress by means Of un-
sB Bployment bonuses. donations foJ
4fsH fAr 4