Evening star., 1947-02-21
.AttIee Outlines
Grim Program
To Spur Output
Worker Faces Longer
Hours, Must Produce
More, He Declares
By the Assoeiafsd Press


government issued today a grim
white paper called "A Working
Pattern for the Nation" 1t told
austerity- weary Britons they
must increase production or risk
the foundations of our national
life"
The white paper-designation OF
important official documents issued
by the government-said:
The nation needs coal, production,
foreign currency.
The private individual must con-
tinue rationing, forego hopes of
shorter hours, increase his individual
output in mine, mill, factory.
Organized labor must abandon
industrial arrangements which re-
strict production, prices or employ
ment." >.s. ...'
Industry must export one-fourth
it's products and accept stern sys-
tenn of priority allotments of man
power and supplies.
Plan Not "Totalitarian."
Sir Stafford Cripps, Board of
Trade president, told a news con-
ference the plan is not "totalitar-
ian"
I'VE do not say that whether you
like it or not you have got to &c
into the coal mine, or a steel fac
tory, or whatever it may be" he said
Instead, we try to induce en-
ployers and employees to conform to
pattern of industrial production in
order to get the greatest benefits
for the nation as a whole"
The strained nation, caught
in the pincers of an unprecedented
fuel shortage and se-drawn finan-
cial plight, was warned in the sober
ly worded white paper that this is a
critical moment in our national ,af-
fairs
Without dramatics, Prime Minister
Attlee told the people that des-
perately needed coal was priority
No. 1 for 1947 and more workers
priority No. 2.
Export Goal IA Per Cent Increase.
Rejecting crippling effects of the
winters industrial crisis, the white
paper set the export goal for 1941
at 140 per cent Of prewar levels-in
comparison with the ITS per cent
government economists say Britain
needs for normal standard OF
living. The report said the long
time goal remained ITS per cent.
To get more coal, the report said
the government would exempt
miners from military service for five
years; would recruit $4,000 new
miners; provide more homes fol
miners; seek to raise the production
goal from 259 tons per man in 194t
to the 308 tons per man mined in
the peak year of 1887; and institute
nationwide fuel rationing system
To increase the labor force, the
Government declared it would take
nearly half a million men from the
armed forces, bring in foreign work
ers, seek to attract housewives tt
the factories and hold veteran labor.
er in their jobs beyond normal re.
tirement age.
Unless we concentrate upon these
really important things we may
never restore the foundation of oul
national life" the white paper
warned.
The white paper opposed shorter
working hours being sought by many
labor unions, declaring greater
leisure is a very desirable thing
but it is not at the moment a prime
essential like imported food-it is
not as important as coal or clothing
or housing"
Loss of Dollars Seen.
Warning that food rationing will
continue for years unless exports
are increased sharply, the white
paper estimated that Britain will be
forced to draw 81, 100000 from
the American and Canadian credits
this year to pay for imports.
Referring to its dollar position
the government said the American
loan obligation requiring Britain to
begin converting frozen sterling bal
ances this year might result In
some loss of dollars" and a conse-
quent increased drain on the United
States and Canadian credits.
Payment of bonuses as an in
centive to increase production was
advocated by the report-a recon-
mendation expected to draw opposi-
tton from some British labor unions
traditionally opposed to "speedup'
practices.
There is now no place for in.
production, prices or employment
Such regulations and traditions grew
up as means of protecting workers
from shortage of work, but now
there is no such shortage nor neec
there ever be under a policy of full
employment"
The white paper said the govern.
ment did not propose direct power
(See BRITAIN, Page A-6)