Evening star., 1922-04-16
LABOR IS ADDING
|TOENGLAND'SW WOES
Tie-Up Over Question Of In.
dustriaI Management Ex-
tremeIy Serious.
HALTs UPWARD TREND
Employers Insist Upon Absolute
Control Of Workshops Without
Any Interference.
BY GEORGE N. BARNES.
British Parliament Leader.

J. British Parlianent Leader.
By Radio to Tne Star. %
| LONDON, April 15.-Ireland contiu-
ues in state or incipient civil war
and seems to be drifting rapidly to-
ward . military dictatorship.
But that 10 not all OF Great Britafn's
woes. Tho troubles that have be-
fallen this country in recent days
seem to come. not in single nles. but
in battalionA
We are laden with an enormous ma
tiohal debt. Tho huge army Of the
unemployed grows larger instead Of
smaller.
And today the country is helplessly
/, looking on at the spectacle Of an en-
cheering and shipbuilding tie-up,
with It's consequent setback to the
i commerce of the nation just at a time
when there seemed to be glimmer
| OF Improvement on the industrial ho-
rixon. The situation is serious in the
| extreme. It involves the etoppago OF
work by nearly million men.
Won't share Management.
Our newest labor trouble hinges
chiefly upon the problem Of workshop
4
unions. claim tho right Of being con-
suited by their employers on the dual
| Questions Of ALLEGATION OF work and
limitation Of overtime. The employ
ers insist on their absolute. uninter-
fered-with discretion In the manage
to the right Of the mems organise
tions to bring forward grievances
| originating in tho exercise OF that
right, and eubject further, to the ex-
clusion Of the general rise and fall OF
wages, which the employers agree to
| adjust with the union committees.
| Under the pressure OF the war. with
its increased work in the lines now
affected. the employers were COM
| pelled to yield certain concessions, on
management They now seek to
withdraw these privileges, and the
pei their retention.
It H. history repeating ITSELF. The
workers. Of Britain have been often
beaten ON this very Issue. There
must be some application OF the
principle OF mutual agreement. In in.
changing mentality of the. British
worker. The time has gene by for
| him to accept the position of passive
subordination. He has become In
creasingly sensitive regarding his
status. Education and political en-
l
mental outlook. He Is thinking more
| than ever before in terms OF democ-
racy and industry. He claims recog-
milton as q man, not as q mere cog
| in wheel. I believe that he Is right
In claiming such recognition and that
| his desire for an. improved status
will have to be met in some sensible
way.
! Divided Management IneAe1enf.
/ think. however, that the British
workman is wrong in claiming q
share in the management Of r the
lworkshop. There cannot be divided
management OF workshops in eff
Eciently conducted industry: The work.
men should address their claims high
| er up. They should insist on places on
! the boards of management OF the
| monopolies which are enjoying spe-
cial parliamentary privilege. and they
| should join in an extension Of the
joint councils Of the ordinary capi-
talistic enterprises, SO that they at
| all times would have a voice In franz
ing their policies.
| Today's tendency in industry il to-
ward monopolistic combinations. Par
lament. during its last session, passed
an act designed to group railway com :
panies and to bring them more, or
less under joint control of their pa
Monday last q bill was passed through
It's second reading giving the railway
| companies power to carry roads on
| the highways. To my mind these de-
velopments offer q field for the as
! sertien Of labor's claims. But labor
has not yet seen fit to enter 1t, On
| the passing Of the former bill Of