Under the Unemployment Section of the Insurance Act workers in
the building, engineering, shipbuilding, works of construction, and saw-milling trades (roughly speaking, three million workers, or more than one-quarter of the total workers in the country) are entitled to unemployment benefit at the rate of 7s. a week when they are unemployed.. When a man is unemployed and in receipt of benefit., he has to accept any "suitable" work which is offered him under penalty of dis- qualification from receiving benefit. At the present moment men are wanted to save our very hearths and homes. Are we going to pay able-bodied artisans (of the best type) to be unemployed when their country needs their services P Surely the offering to men under thirty of an opportunity to serve their country should be considered" suitable employment." If, then, any insured man out of work, but of the right age, refuses to enlist, he ought not to be allowed to claim his benefit. Remember that he will not be offered worse but far better pay. The man serving in the ranks is financially much better off than the artisan in receipt of unemployed benefit at 7s. a week. The soldier is all found and well found (which is at least equivalent to IOs. a week), and gets besides about 8s. a week pocket- money, and if he is a married man his wife has a separation allowance of over 8s., and more if she has a family. The enlistment of these men would be a double blessing. It would improve the financial position of the unemployed benefit funds and would relieve the labour market of a very large section of surplus labour.
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