[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.")
STE,—May I ask your correspondent, Mr. W. 0. Peacock (Spectator, January 12th),whether he has never heard of members of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, with the approval of this Trade-Union, refusing to tend more than one machine tool at one time, although the machine tools in question are automatic in their action, and individually require but very little attention? Further, whether he is not aware that in America one man tends several machine tools of this descrip- Con ? Again, has Mr. Peacock never heard of colliers, with the approval of their Trade-Union, refusing to work more than three or four days a week ? Very possibly the printed rules of Trade-Unions are in many instances admirable, but at the same time is there not an unwritten law which is what the officials really follow? The fact is that in numerous cases those who direct Trade-Unions are so ignorant of the principles of political economy that they believe that by re- stricting the amount of work that may be done by the indi- vidual workman they will ensure employment for a larger number i their particular trade.—I am, Sir, &c., S.
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