27 MARCH 1920, Page 3

In the past many employers were greatly to blame because

they kept cutting down the rates of pieoe-work The inevitable result was that the workmen, in order to protect themselves, either refused to work on piece rates or introduced "ca' canny." It was madness for three employers not to recognize that a man who wasprodueing commodities at high spa 1, even though he was drawing "good money," was saving the employer many establishment expenses. It was generally more profitable to the employers, to pay one man high wages than to pay low wages to two men, who were occupying more space and requiring a greater expenditure upon machinery, power, rent, lighting, cost of management, and so on. If the unskilled workers should earn higher-wages than ever, as we earnestly hope they mill, there is bound to be a reaction upon the attitude ol the skilled workers, who will not like to see their unskilled matte outstripping them in earning capacity. The revolution of the General Workers is also economically very important, because It means a recognition of the fact that every industry can pay only- those wages which the workers' services are worth.