The New York herald., 1921-10-08
BRITISHLAbORFEARS
UNEMPLOYED STRESS
Coming Winter to Test
Working Class 0rganiza-
ton, Says Ben Tillett.
PREMIER CALLS UNIONS
Latter Name Committee to
Confer With Cabinet
in Emergency.
NUMBER RAPIDLY GROWS
2,177,000 Wholly Employed
June "a Falling to 1,403,-
900 September I.
PREMIER CALLS UNIONS
NUMBER RAPIDLY GROWS
BIZ the Associated Press.

LONDON, Oct. 1.-THE pressure of the
unemployment problem is steadily in
creasing, and intense anxiety is being
manifested by labor organizations.
manufacturers and the public regard
ing the plan which the Government is
formulating to deal with it.
Ben Tillett, labor member of Par
lament and organizer of the Dockers'
Union. of which for many years he
has been general secretary, in mani
festo tonight declared:
Bankruptcy stares us in the face.
This winter will be the testing time
for working class organization. Every
form of Government is in a state of
panic or ruin. Whether 1t will be an
imperial or national Government dis
aster impinges on the Administration,
but whatever the chaos Of accumulated
debts, labor and industry will have to
meet the impost.
He urges the cooperation Of all trade
unions to compel Government assist
ance.
10 OOhhCT wan
The question of unemployment was
considered to-day by a joint conference
OF the General Council OF the Trades
Union Congress, Labor party executives
and Labor members Of Parliament. In
answer to a request from Premier
Lloyd George, to appoint committee
to meet the Premier to confer regard
ing practical measures for dealing with
what is described as ''the present ma
tional emergency" the Laborite said
committee would be appointed Ito ex-
plain our proposals and examine any
made by the Government, but not as
members of any joint committee in
Guiding financiers and employers, as
suggested by you. Nor can our
representatives be held responsible for
the policy ultimately adopted by the
Government"
Premier Lloyd George replied that
he would be glad to meet the commit
tee early next week." The conference
then decided TO send further letter to
the Premier, which expressed surprise
that he had failed TO arrange an inn
mediate meeting. The letter concluded
"Our representatives have been ap-
probably would wish to meet them to-
day. and the conference reassembled
this afternoon in that belief"
Change in Government Doles.
Government provisions for dealing
with the unemployed have been in d
state of almost constant flux since ini-
mediately after the armistice. when
out-of-work donations were arranged
for ex-service men and women, the
latter including some 10000 munition
workers.
The scheme was found to be made
quate, however. as tne transition of the
countrys industries from a war to a
peace basis threw thousands OF persons
who had not been In the service, AMI
who did not benefit under the scheme.
out of work. For these assistance had
to be provided. This led to an altera-
ton in 1919 of the unem mployment insur-
ance act of 1911, which was applicable
only to some 100000 workers. to in
clude some 100000 various classes Of
workers. notable exceptions being agri-
cultural laborers and private domestic
servants.
The unemployment insurance act has
been from the beginning contributory
scheme. expenses being prorated among
the workers, employers and the Govern
inent. This worked with some degree of
satisfaction until the 1920 industrial
slump made 1t impossible for many
workers to contribute their share. The
increasing inability of the idle to find
work caused further amendment of the
act in 1920, and consequences of the
miners strike this year led to still
further changes. AS the act now stands.
men registered under its protection may
draw fifteen shillings weekly. women
twelve shillings, boys seven shilllngs and
slxpence and girls six shllings.
The weekly rates of contributions to
make UP these amounts are: In the case
OF men the employer pays eight pence
for each man laid off, those still en-
ployed pay seven pence and the Govern
ment three and three -fourths pence. In
the case of women. the employer pays
seven pence, those employed six pence
and the Government three and one
fourth pence. In the case Of boys, the
employer pays four pence, those en-
ployed three and one-half pence and the
Government one and seven-elghts pence.
In the case of girls the employer pays
three and one-half pence. those employed
three pence and the Government one and
five-eighths pence The number of weeks
during which such benefits may be
drawn was fixed at sixteen.
Up TO the end of September 1.4o3, 900
persons had registered throughout the
Kingdom as wholly unemployed, "A de-
crease OF 40, 900 from the previous week.
on June "a there were 2,177.000 regis
tered.