New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-02-20
specau, Dispatch to The r1ovne


TORONTO, Feb. 19.--In periods Of
slackness in manufacturing, some Of
the local industries in the Province Of
Quebec enjoy advantages which are
not shared by establishments in Eng
disappearing Canada. Employment in
Quebec generally 10 more stable and in
dustrial activities more uniform and
steady than in probably any other part
Of the North American continent.
This situation Is due In large meas
ure to the character Of this French
Canadian labor and also to the partial
isolation of the province by reason of
language and other factors. AS Hon.
Walter Mitchell. Provincial Treasurer,
stated in his annual budget report
which has just been issued, labor con-
ditions are better in Quebec than prob
ably in any other place in America
The Minister added that there was in
Quebec Province "less radicalism, less
Socialism, no Boishevisna, more con-
tentment, more satisfaction, and as q
result better relationship between en-
ployer and employee"
Such statements are moro than ordi-
nary political designating. Even in
the case of rural households, the aver
age farm In Quebec does not afford en-
ployment for all the sons and daugh-
tiers. The surplus find work in local
misunderstanding, industries. Labor Of
this charaster lis less mobile" than are
the English-speaking industrial work
| ers. The comparatively plentiful sup
ply Of female help in the lower province
Is factor of economic Importance; it
has induced some Ontario Iuanufactur-
ers to establish branch factories in
QGebec for certain operations. While
French Canadian farmers settle in the
clay belt OF northern Ontario or even
| on the prairies of Western Canada,
there is little movement Of industrial
employees from Quebec to the manu-.
faeturing districts Of Ontario. Local
| labor in large measure is fixed" and
transient workers are few. Even the
smallest local manufacturing industries
Of Quebec province have been affected
| by the curtailment Of orders by whole
salers and dealers, but not in the same
measure as have many industries in
other parts of Canada and in the United
States. Labor costs Of production had
not risen so high as they had else
sary, have been less difacult.
Donbia Form of Protection
Besides their advantage in respect of
labor, focal manufacturing industries
| IN quebec, which find their principal
market within the province in reality,
have been enjoying double form of
| protection against outside competition
In addition to thes customs tariff they
| have all the advantages which come
from exclusively French advertising
and printing and employment Of
French-Canadian salesmen. Many OF
the larger Canadian companies are Of
fering their products in containers or
| wrappings printed in both English and
French, but the French Canadian man
ufacturer, catering principally to the
French-speaking population Of his own
province. has an advantage the impor-
lance of which has not generally been
| recognized.
With comparatively iow-wage, high
efficiency labor many of the French
Canadian manufacturing establish
ments have been able to develop ex-
port trade with the states south OF
the international boundary, and in some
eases with oversees countries, sand to
extend sales Of their products into
English speaking Canada. SO confident
have some of them become i'm the "in-
visible protection" afforded by labor
and Language advantages that they dis
count the menace to them of any tariff
reductions or the danger of increasing
competition from exchange al ded ina
ports of European manufacture
There are close observers Of Cam
adam industrial developmant--andn not
all of them are residents of the French
speaking province--who look to Quebec
to take q prominent, and perhaps the