THE AMERICAN CLIMATE STIMULATES HIGH OUTPUT [To the Editor of
the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—In the many letters which have reached you from America—comparing the conditions of labour in this country with those existing in the United States—I have seen no reference to the effect of climate upon the output of labour.
My first visit to America was in the year 1862—and I have been there frequently since—being somewhat largely interested in their industries, I have no hesitation in ascribing some part of the larger output of their labour to the effect of their climate, which is very stimulating and exhilarating, making it a pleasure to work—in this country we have many depressing days when work becomes irksome. But while these climatic conditions favour a large output they make a severe demand upon the physical reserve of the worker, and their lives are shorter. In walking through any of their great cemeteries one is struck by the few men who have lived fifty years.
In this country a working man is glad to get to his home after the day's labours ; and rest in his easy chair, with his pipe and evening paper ; his muscles need relaxation, and his brain repose. Such a condition in America is impossible— a man must be always up and doing. The remedy for this state of things would be for our workers to work shorter hours and so be more intense in their work:
There would be no difficulty in working shorter hours ; but it is more than doubtful if our men would be willing to make good the loss of time by making a bigger effort. There is another element required to ensure a larger output which exists in America but is absent in this country ; and that is " Goodwill." The late Mr. Gompers, the head of the trades unions in America, always made the cultivation of good feeling between employer and employee a leading feature of his labour programme, and it still prevails.
Here, unfortunately, " Bolshevism " is dominant in very many, if not in most of our workshops, and no drastic steps are taken to deal with it—but it must force itself to the front and be dealt with by a strong hand if we are to recover our pros- [Sir William Forwood is undoubtedly right in thinking that the American climate is one of the factors making for a high output in the United States. Unfortunately it is not a factor that we can make use of in this country. But apart from climate there is a spirit of optimism and keenness to get on in America which is sadly lacking here, but which, we believe, could be introduced by education. Mr. Selfridge once said
to the writer that as one who had experience in both countries as a large employer, he could not wish for better or keener workers than his British staff. He was referring to his clerical staff and shop assistants, but the British artisan or hand- worker is as line as any in the world if only he forgets about " Ca' Canny."—Eu. Spectator.]
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