THE RELATIONS OF WORKMEN AND EMPLOYERS. [To THE EDITOR OF
THE " SPECTATOR."] am an employer on a moderately large scale, and have much sympathy with the point of view of "H. E. G." in your issue of February 5th. The management in my firm have very good relations with the workmen, and as we all reside in the same neighbourhood, we meeteeeh other on all sorts of occasions and, as usual, like each other all the •better in consequence. There are also several measures, either already introduced or in process of introduction, which are tending towards the co- operation of masters and men within the firm. Difficultiei, however, arise if one endeavours to discuss with several thou- sands of men, or even several hundreds, such vital matters as hours, wages, and oonditions of employment. In the first place very many sensible working men are dumb before an audience, and obsessed with an admiration for the noisy rhetoric of the fluent few. Again, working men seem to have small idea of dispatching business promptly and with as little discussion of detail as possible. This is the only objection that I know to co-opting workmen to boards of directors. It must, of course, be laid down as an axiom that any participation of workmen in management is advisory. Absolute honesty in carrying out agreements with their men, a readiness to hear any complaint, however trifling, and as much personal intercourse as possible are the foundations of a firm's right relations with its workmen. Personally, I would welcome co-operative systems, or schemes of profit-sharing, or any other system whatever which would enable capital and labour to pull hard with one another and not against one another in these days of huge national indebted-
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