1 JULY 1911, Page 21

"TWO JOBS FOR ONE MAN."

[To THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR."] Srn,—Ton said a while ago that the working-man's dream was "Two jobs for one man " ; would it not be well, tb -^ to

devote more attention to the attainment of this ideal, to clear oar minds for a time from political theory, from the war-cries o; Free Trade and Tariff Reform, and consider how to increase employment which is at the root of both sides of the question? Labour Exchanges have done useful work, but they cannot create additional jobs; that can only be done by capital; therefore show capital that it can employ additional labour profitably, and it will be quick to do so. I suggest that Free Traders have not only not yet done this, but have, by their policy of harassing capital, made it impossible. No one advo- cates import duties for the pleasure of paying more for the articles imported ; but Tariff Reform, much as you, Sir, personally dislike it, is the only positive proposal before the country to attain the end in view. It is now the turn of the Free Trader to produce proposals for encouraging the invest- ment of capital in this country. Can he do so ?

The expression of these thoughts is prompted by one or two sentences in your article "Land at Last" on June 24th.

burley House, near Marlborough, [The best way to encourage the growth of capital is to encourage exchanges. A. protective or preferential tariff tends—though no doubt it is not so intended—to discourage exchanges. Therefore it discourages the growth of capital.

- Spectator.]