Apart from wages, the men's leaders seem to be paying
'most attention to the principle of a National Agreement, which they fear may be whittled away. It should not be forgotten, therefore, that the Report approved, of the • National Agreement. All that was proposed was that the percentage additions to the basic rate of wages should depend upon the conditions of the industry in the different districts. That is in itself perfectly reasonable. The National Agreement is to put everyone above want, and the district adjustments are to determine the amount of a man's earnings over and above that line. The more one studies the Report the more one 'sees what a remarkable piece of work it is. If it is not used to bring about a settlement we shall slip back into a slough of despond from which it will be almost impossible to find a way out.
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