EMERGENCY HOUSES AND THE BUILDING UNIONS
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] Sus,—Your articles on the Slum Problem have been deservedly appreciated, and the various- suggestions for the removal and future avoidance of slums merit the most careful con- sideration. It appears, however that this is really part of the greater problem of supplying the housing shortage, which does not make adequate headway, and it is necessary to ascertain the reason, and face the facts when recognised. Many valuable suggestions have been made from time to time, notably by Lord Weir and others, who have proposed schemes which, if left in their hands, would unquestionably provide a solution of this pressing necessity. Why, then, should it be possible for these proposals to be held up, or, if adopted, to have the costs of the steel houses increased by Trade Union activities ? This seems likely to be the case, according to the article in the Glasgow Herald of January 9th, copy of which is sent you herewith.
It is certain that there is more building required in this country than can be carried out for many years by the various members of the Building Trade Unions, and yet they not only decline to allow the members to do a fair day's work themselves, but try to prevent the unemployed from doing this work at fair wages. By adopting Lord Weir's scheme, the men would make as great and possibly greater wages per week than they would if paid the Trade Union rate, and yet the Unions 'presume to forbid the experiment. It is incredible that the men themselves object to the proposed scheme, and it is presumed that they blindly obey the orders of the Trade Union leaders, whose personal interests come before the welfare of the unemployed. The question of the malign influences of Trade Unions is one of the most pressing problems before the country to-day. There seems little chance of trade recovering until something is done to curb and control those activities of the various unions, which act in restraint of trade, and prevent the country recovering from the effects of the War. All recent Governments are guilty of, ignoring the position'; no doubt because they might lose votes.
It is believed, however, that many Trade Unionists are heartily sick of the tyranny of the Unions, and would welcome some return to freedom.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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