Show Artificial Prosperity Gives dives Cause For Alarm to Britain By Sir Robert Home M. M P. P T ONDON DO May 1 a 31 The a.-The The country countr has JL LO during the last few months been I Ipa pa passing ln through a a. time of or great In Industrial In- In vicissitude and nobody as ns asyet asyet yet ot lian bag accustomed to io the h chan change o from a state tate of war to our I present ent condition condition- which is that of It I neither war nor peace With the cessation of or hostilities most people expected the arr arrival nl of or orthe the millennium perhaps millennium perhaps man many of oC us on political platforms platform helped to fo en encourage encourage en- en coura courage courage- e this expectation Matters however howe have o lI been bren en very much more difficult than oven even tho pessimists amon among us could have Im Im- Im- Im Peace has been greatly delayed I and the tile fact that even now wo we arc compelled to deal with a a. state of oC war Mar at necessarily arlly suspends many of oC the normal operations of peace pane 1 I The consequence Is that thai in m n's ns minds are arc in a a state of oC turmoil the revival of or trade which was expected has not taken place the thc control exercised tl bj bf the blockade on certain of oC our OU Industries Industries Indus Indus- tries in which a n largo larse export trade tallo was carried on has exercised exorcised a 3 stifling effect opportunities for employment mon have o been greatly minimized and the lar large e amount of oC unemployment which was the necessary ary effort effect of oC tho the cc cessation cessation cessa cessa- alion a- a tion lion of or war In industries has been greatly increased Increase 1 b by the stole state of oC suspended animation in which many of oC our great groat Industries havo have remained Disquiet rend m l lh trl The result has been a degree decree of oC un unrest unrest un- un rest sufficient to 10 occasion great disquiet disquiet disquiet dis dis- quiet and mIS misgiving Many Ian factors have hl added to this condition of industrial disturbance While it is truo true that most people Inthe in inthe the tho countr country have suffered by the war ivar and many man indeed havo have been ruined certain classes of oC business mono mon who happened happen cd to be possessed either cither of oC luck or Initiative in dealing with the tho commodities ur urgently required for war ha have ve greatly g prospered Large fortunes have been heon made by 11 I some ome and a considerable number of oC people who prior to the tho war WaI w re pos pm possessed essed of oC comparatively small means are arc now enjoying tho ilia benefits of or great riches HI Rightly or wrongly it has created In the minds of oC great masses of oC our people the suspicion if IC not the certainty taint int that profiteering has been rHet rile rife at t tho the expense of or tho the community in inthe th the tho midst of or the a agonies onles of ot war Many Ian people unfamiliar with the way In which the country's finances have havo been administered 1 in ter t course of or the war war have hao tho the opinion that a country which can spend so much money moncy on ou war can spend a great deal more on the tho civilian population in the betterment of or their conditions during times ot ot of peace It Is 15 forgotten or otten or rather it is ne never observed that Hut our present apparent financial prosperity is purely arti arti- J. J Tho Thu state is living on borrowed borrow c money and the more it borrows brrow whether r fur for purposes of peace br or war the tho worse the tho situation becomes The borrowing tends to to create dearer dt prices for all Inflated d credit towers lowers values nail reduces thu the purchasing power lU of or every ery one of or us UK UR nn and every cr citizen en be ho hI poor pour or ur wealthy Is compelled to pa pay more for forthe the limo o of 1 everyday orda life liCe The rhe betterment obtained under much curb conditions is ia paid palt for Cor at an e ex I hl high h rate rale even en by those who I II I arc bettered I lh The anI only true avenue avenue to h happier conditions conditions con con- conI I I is Js b by increasing the actual 1 wealth of cf the country countr and that can can only be achieved ed h by the thc a augmentation of or production It H Is s tho the duty duly of tiC the tho thoI I I state to improve the facilities for Cor such pro production In er c every wa way possible and I. I to insure that the conditions under II which tho the lIfo life of the industrial c community com coin m- m mI I Is carried on should be such as asto asto I to fit It its citizens in the highest st degree for tho the tasks which the they have lIae to per per- form torm This necessarily Ine presupposes r regular ular employment adequate Wa wages cs and 8 1 leisure lesure These today C forth form tho the chief alms alias of or the great reat industrial I I organ of oC workmen and the tho dc- dc I de-I IL ny which has taken laken place In their re reI realization re- re I is without doubt responsible I or or much of oC the trouble through which I w WI ivo have hav burn boon bt passing They The can only anI be effectively secured L by genuine cooperation co co- 1 operation between employers and rind employed em em- I CO-I ll mid h by a clear understanding t cn them is ts s to the thu conditions which affect the employment of oC capital capi i tal talon on the tho one hand and labor labur on the tho I j other I II I I J have huc referred to the question of oC UllI unemployment un- un i I employment in this country countr at nt the tho thoI I present time and It h have ve c Indicated that thai I nothing but hut a revival in trade trado affords cs a T r nl al remedy for this evil o olI II III I I believe l with all my wart hart in every I of effort Hort fort being heln moro to provide as roue much l i work as ns possible and In taki taking Vf r ovary I measure ure which foresight could flU rug suggest C t I to create con conditions In which employment employment employ employ- ment should be regular and stable stahl The Thc convulsions of the th world war 1 hive ve at nt the th rr present Juncture left us its fiN fiNIn In a condition in which it I Is Impossible sible at once to provide sufficient employment employment em om- I for Cor all of or those who wi wish h to work worl I Tin The case cane of rf r the women of or this countr country coun- coun tr try who took so great a part palt in the I j of war mn is panic panic- striking At 1 the tho present time time I Approximately half a million n I who up to the cessation of ot hostilities ho t Dittos were busily employed are arc now nw without work orl I It Is Iq I true that a ronNI considerable portion of this number do not now desire em om- some were not cn engaged n el ll in hi hiI I i work prior to the war anti and man many others other arc I r at t the JJr present son t time limo 1110 lIcca because n i the they nr are arc not net to lo return to the j occupations lIons In which they worn wore previously I I en engaged Of OC the last mentioned class In man many were formerly employed In ht service or as os laundry han hands s. s So Ro far far car 1 ns as domestic service lee Is concerned I lit It to be br se m in m apparent that hat the th conditions conI conditions con con- I of oC such service cl will require c t to 1 I bp hp e 1 d In lh the future so sc as os in III give 1 those nam cd in It a greater amount of freedom I j rv rw The experience of oC those who worked I Jn In factories rles has whetted a deI desire de de- de- de I sire for far an allowance allu of periods of oC time I Ile 1111 In which the they can count upon b bl being ln I fre fre- from front dut duty The resettlement comor com com com- j of or the ministry of or labor Is hi at 1 th present moment anxiously I 1 I wring tiring schemes for Cor the purpose e c of or of bringing bring bring- ing about a such changes a. a as seem hIe with wilh n a view to making domestic tic tG r more a attractive It hf Moreover tr a Is lj about to br bf launched for or the pr pr IH of oC domestic dome training for or some eom of lC tho the young oun w women who wt-ro wt u engaged on wg-ag wg d dIn In factories during the tho pe period pe- pe rind lit of tho the war It is contended l. l by some orne women that the national factories which were esI es- es I a d for purposes cs ought now to bo be used for the provision pro of ur work for Cor those now unemployed This contention raises a aver very difficult cult problem In tho the first pla place e. e under all the arrangements b by which women were brou brought ht into mechanical work during the war it Jl was provided pro that the they should hould not after aCter tho the war Interfere with the restoration of oC these occupations occupations occupations to the tho returning soldiers they were Indeed to he regarded as dilu tees who had to give gl place to those whose hose regular occupation the they they had ha had in In- In It Is accordingly impossible at the present time timo to provide either In naI national na na- I factories s or r anywhere else en enI engineering engineering en- en Inc work for wom women n. n There I Is I indeed far too little of oC such work to occupy the he skilled men who are arc aailI available available avail ail I able for employment lo es for Women I The only alternative Is to mal make e an no attempt to develop elop trades in which moro more women can be bo absorbed such as the tailoring and clothing trades tr Schemes already are being developed d for this purpose and it is hoped that lint I progress rapidly will be i In the meantime it Is hoped that in th tho present present present pres pres- ent difficult situation wom women n. n who are arc out of oC work will show les less reluctance to return to those vocations In which thc they were previously engaged The conditions at at pre present ent prevailing prevailing prevail prevail- In ing In ht this country countr differ consider considerably i abl ably from those of or our 11 lilies bs S. S Great Britain became so supremely l ing l workshop of or the European members of ot tho the alliance that the dislocation ilon I caused b by the cessation In t the thu c production production pro pru- of DC war material is greater rn Jn this countr country than In other othel countries court So far tar as America is concerned 1 n there has been comparatively I little Ie interruption in n Americas America's to produce the materials of pence peace The I result toda today is that tho the United d 11 States is in a far Car better position to deal t al with th the tho new nw situation than we arc Its Industrial conditions arc are muon more settled Its people h have c no such uncertainties un- un certainties in tho the factory factors which af affect affect at- at the tho cost of oC production as at pr present present pres pres- sent s- s ent paralyze lar tho lie enterprise of or our Jur manufacturers the they are In a position to estimates and take orders with a far Car greater freedom than Lt Brit Brit- it- it ti tia American Product I These o circumstances In themselves olvis o oare are su sufficient to create considerable hIe misgivings In our minds 1 they hc ar are arc moreover emphasized lJ by tho ho heal cheap prices at which American producers can afford aCCord to sell soil certain staple laodis prod Ucla As is compared with u UK us America merica can an sell steel rails In fu this country at It tho thu present time at prices cheaper ch I than we wc can n Similarly America cun can afford to sell soli ell coa coal I In certain markets ll where Britain used to have hac a monopoly at nt with which with our OUI now mow costs we wo find it difficult and ev cv mn n Impossible to compete These arc facts act which the must realize and appreciate Thc They I will have to be he kept In view Jew in ht the consideration of the many 1 changes chanos which on other grounds It ma may h thought desirable det to tu Introduce in the conditions of oC employ t in this Coun O Country tr try try- Shorter Shorter hours greater I leisure Increased Increase in increased In- In I crease creased wages better conditions of or orI employment are In n themselves t. t all allgood I good d the they can cun be lie obtained the In Industry front from without t destroying which the they are arc derived nut Hut wo Wu u n lI t not Cor l that we depend nu more t thin then un au any other country upon our export In trade ce and amI that our u. u livelihood is vi vitally I Itally I tall tally affected h by conditions of oC word competition It Ion Increased c knowledge c on fin the par park of or orthe the workmen an and a new sympathy Von on the part of ur the employers will trill tend to alleviate lale man many of oC thu J by which wo have hitherto been confronted cuts con 1 fronted and the good gutHI sense anti and loyalty loy luy- o alty of ur tho ho great mass mass- massof of oC our I may mUT ua oo O upon to establish the tn I prosperity of oC the country countr as surely inthe in tho the future as they did ld in the pas pa past t. t |