Back to Work
What is meant nowadays by the phrase "business as . usual " was illustrated by the fact that the general resumption of work on Monday muting was marked by a heavy load-shedding cut in the supply of electricity. Business as usual means uncertain power supplies, totally inadequate solid fuel supplies, the emer- gency plan of January for the distribution of those supplies, exports stationary or falling slightly, dollars running out and the reorganisa- tion of industry sticking badly. The only changes in the situation are changes for the worse. Increased night work has become inevit- able. Domestic consumers have now no hope of adequate fuel supplies, and the expected repercussions of the original shut-town are already appearing in the form of shortages of sweets and cigarettes and a hundred other petty items. The next stage is to sort out the temporary from the permanent elements in this un- pleasant situation. Night work should undoubtedly come to stay in many industries. It should have been possible much earlier to profit by American experience. It is only possible to get the best out of expensive machines and to pass on as rapidly as possible to further improvements by working several shifts every twenty- four hours. The Report of the Cotton Working Party clearly recog- nised the need for double-shift working in that industry and the trade union representatives agreed. It is a pity that their example has not yet been followed by the engineering unions, whose discus- sions on the subject have temporarily broken down, for night work will continue to be an economic necessity long after the immediate emergency is over. Fuel rationing, on the other hand—and par-
titularly the limitation of allocations to industry—must not become permanent. Here the answer lies in higher production and more efficient combustion apparatus. The distinction between what is permanently necessary and what is merely expedient for the time being must always be kept in mind. Even the push to increase the output from the mines must be calm and disciplined. Planning is a long-term process, not a mere stampede from one bottleneck to another.
