Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-13

The causes and consequences Of the
British textile strike are widely dis
cussed by the press on this side OF the
Atlantic, with appreciation OF the e1ect
upon American trade and a rather gen.
orally expressed feeling that failure OF
the industry to keep pace with modern
conditions is largely responsible for the
trouble.
"The British textile industry is re-
sorting to the old and suicidal policy
of cutting wages to boost profits" says
the Houston Chronicle. That could
never be done to any advantage; 1t can't
be done at all in this day of modern
industry" According to the New Or
leans Times-Picayune, when Labor
goes on the rampage to secure higher
pay, the event may be spectacular and
have a lot Of whoopee behind 1t. but
rarely is there then met the same de-
termination and bitterness that exist
when, after having accustomed them
selves and their families to the higher
wage scale, workers face the necessity
of cutting down to lower standard
of living.o
An explanation Of the cut proposed
by the mill owners is given by the
Muskegon Chronicle: Half q million
textile workers are out on strike In
Great Britain against a proposed re-
duction of their pay from the equivalent
of $11 .O8 weekly for men and 1920 for
women to s9.48 for men and $6.4S for
women. That is an almost sickening
statement" exclaimS this paper, as It
characterizes the cut as a drop from q
starvation wage" to q "substarvatlon
level" and says, Almost we had sup
posed such perjury as that for workers
had been left behind century ago In
all but semi-civilized lands"
ka EYnTNgQ
authority, the Des MoineS Tribune
CAPITAL points to declarations by an un-
named textile authority to the enect
that the whole cotton industry in
England Is obsolete in its organization,
its method and its equipment" and
saws in comment upon this statement,
"Since that charge has not only been
made but pretty well proven In the case
of our New England textile mills, II VIII
the English"
Elaborating on this phase Of the stu
alton, the Kansas City Star notes tnat
more and more cotton Is being spun
near the field where 1t Is picked: Elk.
cept for the existence of the mills ana
a supply of skilled operatives" the Star
continues, there is little reason for
hauling cotton to Lancashire TO nave
it manufactured. Moreover, the cotton
industry in England has failed to keep
pace with its foreign competitors,
particularly in matters OF organization;
For one thing there are TOO many snalI
independent establishments and tnls Is
the day of quantity production"
That the workers are alive TO TINS
situation is emphasized by the Haml-
ton. ontario, Spectator, in its editorial
remarks. "The trades union leaders
insist that the employers, In demand
ing q lower wage standard before sucn
REORGANIZATION has been undertaken,
are putting the cart before the morse,
says the Canadian daily. They go SO
far as to say that acceptance OF the
nroposed reduction would be to post
bone the day of salvation for the IN
dustry, by making 1t possible for the
obsolete methods to conttnue-Whcn
would be merely deferring the IN
That England will not be the only
loser If the strike continues Is RECOGNIZED
in many quarters. Says the Manchester
Union, cit Is apparent that the stasna,,,
ton of the British cotton market VIII
be keenly felt by the American cotton
growers. and that it Is likely to more
than offset the advantage gained by our
textile mills" The Indianapolis News
warns: How extensive the SituationS
ramifications are Is indicated by the
fact that four -fifths Of LANCASHIRE
output is intended for export. Thus
British apprehension over the closing
of the plants for even brief period Is
understandable. The st. Louis Times
declares, aside from the merits OF this
particular contention. some one IN
England is making q tremendous mis-
| take,
Political aspects Of the tie-up are not
ignored. The Salt Lake Deseret News
fiI1ds n "something Of an anomaly that
-. Ngsas. affnr the xr4zsfiiug eIeGk0Rai