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Show AUSTRALIA IKES NEW SOCIAL CODE SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 8. "Australia will solve Its industrial problems by the adoption of a new social code that every worthy citizen is entitled to a minimum standard of comfort bearing some relation rela-tion to the total wealth production of the community, but above that minimum ; full play will be given to individual enterprise. en-terprise. Initiative and intelligence." - This la the conclusion of the Hon. George Beehy, member of the Australian coalition government, and writer and lecturer lec-turer on economic problems, who recently began here a four months' inquiry Into plans for reconstruction in the United States. Australia, he said, has no fear of revolutionary revo-lutionary disorders, the dangerous element ele-ment being a small minority although very active. The problem of maintaining maintain-ing comfortable standards of living without with-out paternalism. Is being met, he said, with a great educational movement seeking seek-ing to create mutual lines of respect by ! which enterprise may be conducted. Mr. Beeby noted that the railroads and other great utilities have, since the beginning, be-ginning, been government owned in Aus- ! tralia, but predicted that the extension of government operation to ordinary in- i dustry as the result of the war would not remain permanent. j "The only state in Australia which is at present under a labor government re- j cently attempted to reduce the cost of I meat to consumers by starting government govern-ment ranches and butcher shops," he said. "For some time the supposed benefits of this scheme were lauded as a triumph of state socialism, but when tho proposition was analyzed after two years' operation it was perfectly clear that the reduction on price was negli- gible and that the enterprise was run on unsound business lines which might, particularly par-ticularly during a dry spell, Involve the ' whole stato in a heavy loss. "The idea of state control of food supplies sup-plies Is rapidly giving way to agitation of voluntary co-operation among primary producers. The producer now seeks to eliminate Intermediate profits and is trying try-ing to get nearer tho consumer, looking to co-operation as against state assistance assis-tance as his media." The same applies to manufacturing industries," in-dustries," Mr. Beeby said: "Efforts are being made," he continued, con-tinued, "to provide definite and permanent perma-nent lines of communication between the employer and the workman. Schemes for the creation of industrial councils, shop committees and boards of conciliation, mutual proposals for better shop conditions condi-tions and creating a healthier social life are receiving unusual prominence. "Out of it all I believe Australia will develop on lines of individual effect rat liter- than that of state socialism, but this will be achieved by definite co-operation between employers and their workmen." |