The Trade-Union leaders are, we feel sure, perfectly com - petent
to give Mr. Chamberlain all the answer he requires in regard to his apparent dilemma. We may point out, however, that the essence of Trade-Unionism is collective bargaining with the employer, and that in reality there is no analogy between such collective bargaining and the taxation of foreign imports. Trade-Unions exist in order to ensure that the labourer gets his fair share of the total profits of production. To keep out foreign imports is in reality to deprive the workman of employment in making the goods required to pay for—i.e., exchange with—the foreign imports. It is ridiculous to say that if A, B, C, and D combine to get as large a share as possible of the profits of cotton spinning, therefore they are bound in logic to prevent German cutlery coming into this country. In reality, if they are wise men, they will insist upon no obstacle being placed in the way of that cutlery entering, because it will have to be paid for in British goods, and the production of those British goods will cause extra employment in the cotton and a dozen other trades.
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