The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-03-27
!, COMMENT ON WORLD
EVENTS

International Labor Office entitled
"The Labor Situation in Great Britain
A Survey: May-October, 1940." The
publication is one of the most recent
studies made by the LILO in the field
of economic organization to meet the
needs of total war.
Prepared by the London branch of
the lilo, the study is the work of two
British economists, one of whom is
an LILO staff member. The inquiry was
undertaken to present the general pic
ture Of the social and economic prob
lens faced by Great Britain in it's
struggle for survival and the manner
in which it adapted it's administrative
machinery and it's labor and social
policies and practices in an effort to
solve these problems.
The machinery of control, economic
policy, the regulation Of labor supply,
industrial training, industrial health
and prevention of accidents, trade
unions and the employment of women,
the standard of living, rationing and
nutrition policy-these are some of
the subjects considered in the survey.
x X X
Starting with the political and mill
tary background in May, 1910, the
authors present step by step the
action taken to meet the emergencies
created by the withdrawal from the
war Of Britain's Continental Allies
and the loss of material occasioned by
the retreat from Dunkerque. The over
hauling and reorganization of Govern
ment control under the Defense Act
of 1910 is sketched; and the economic
policy of the British Government, in
cluding financing the war, the re-
striction of civilian consumption, and
the changing export-import situation,
is considered.
Entering the field of primary con-
Germ to labor, the study presents a
factual survey of the methods used to
regulate the supply of labor, the
present situation in regard to en-
ployment and unemployment, the
question of wages and real earnings in
wartime, hours of work and holidays,
the health and welfare of industrial
workers.
The section on industrial relations
contains information of immediate
concern to officials government,
union and employer-who are charged
with the solution of the strike prob
lem in defense industries in this
country. 1t explains the arrange
ments instituted by the British Gov
ernment to minimize industrial con-
fict. The final part of the study is
devoted to the fuctuating standard of
living under war conditions and in
cludes an interesting subsection on
the social consequences of air attack.
While "The Labor Situation in
Great Britain" is necessarily factual in
point Of view and is not an interpre-
tive nature, the facts it presents throw
some light on a highly significant
question-What is the present position
of labor in Great Britain; and what
is the social trend of British institu-
ton under conditions of total war?
Americans generally have been
bothered by the feeling that Finland
was not getting square deal, in con-
nection with supplies of food, medi-
cine and other necessities from this
country. They have given every in
dication Of being pleased with the
Governments decision to give tangible
help at last. AS the Washington daily
News comments:
"Another hungry corner of Europe,
Finland, gets good news from Wash
ington. Jesse Jones indicates that the
Export-lmport Bank will lend the
Films $5,OOO,OOO, much of it to be
used in buying American food. AS
suming that England will let the food
ships thru to Petsamo, we will now
be able to shake off that fair-Weather-
friend feeling that has been troubling
our conscience in connection with the
Firms, who were beyond praise year
ago, but more recently out Of mind"
Seubrook Forms Siqns