THE IiHMSTRY .OF LABOUR.
ere THE Einrroe OF THE ".SPECTATOR."]
Sia,—I am reluctantly compelled to crave the hospitality of your valuable -columns once again for the purpose of ,replying to Mr. Leslie Hore-Belisha's letter, which appeared in the Spectator of the 15th inst. He asks : "Have the Labour Exohanges justified themselves?" ;My answer is, Yes. In order to roach this conclusion one need only take into consideration tho 'facts mentioned in my previous letter in conjunction with the,absence of demonstrations, processions, and disorderly con- duct on the part of thousands of workless while those of them who -wore able to comply with the regulations had not exhausted their right to _benefit.
t. The Exchanges were entrusted with the administration of Unemployment Insurance in 1912. From his letter one might infer -that the scheme was of quite recent date, solely to resuscitate the Exchanges.
2. In judging -their value one must consider their work as a whole. It would be just as unreliable to form an opinion upon their activities up to the commencement of the War as it would be 4o-consider only the period covered by his letter.
Mr. Leslie Hore-Belisha asserts the Exchanges are deemed to have filled vacancies which have been filled by other bodies. Can he, privately or otherwise, furnish details of any such cases, or of Exchanges which, with the cognizance of the Ministry of Labour, have taken credit for applicants who have found work for themselves.
3. Referring to the elimination of the " lead swinger," &c., there is about as much justification for condemning the Exchanges on account of his presence as there would be for suggesting the abolition of " autumn sales" or " mechanical traction" because of the 'existence ,of kleptomaniacs and ticketless travellers.
4. The Ministry does not take credit in its returns for appli- cants who have found work themselves, or whose applications have lapsed. Each of these classes is shown separately from those who have actually obtained work through the medium of the Exchange.
5. The findings of the Committee of Inquiry in relation to the Ministry's statistics were quoted merely as an indication of the value which attaches to the allegations made with regard to the returns rendered by •the Exchanges.
6. Mr. Leslie Hore-Belisha's congratulations might be -ex- tended to the Ministry of Labour, the Local Employment Com- mittee, and the Local Exchanges; to the former for their admirable regulations, and to the two latter for the efficient manner in which effect has been given to these regulations.— (Chairman Selby and Howden District Labour Exchange Unemployment Committee).
Mid:legate House, Selby.
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