On Saturday the Press Association published a series of "
Observations " on the law relating to Trade-Unions and Employers' Associations, drawn up by the chairman of the Labour Commission (the Duke of Devonshire) and signed 'by him and several of the Royal Commissioners. These -" Observations" are discussed at length elsewhere, but it may be noted here that they favour an alteration of the law under which Unions both of men and employers would be able to acquire a "fuller legal personality," and become, in fact, Corporations capable of making contracts. The result would be that both sorts of combination would be able to make binding agreements as to conditions of labour, and would be able to enforce against each other agreements to submit to ar bitration. The proposal is, however, not to force the Unions to become Corporations, but merely to allow them to do so if they think fit. As a consequence of assuming the legal personality, Members of Unions would be held "to be under a contract with the Association for observance of the -collective agreement." The " Observations " further propose that the -Unions should be liable for acts of virtual intimida- tion committed by their officers and agents. We trust that the main proposal—i.e., that in regard to collective agreements—will be favourably considered by the leaders of the Trade-Unions. It is conceivable that in that direction lies the solution of the strike and lock-out problem.
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