now OUR PUBLIC MEN MISS THE WAY 115 



" The replies were of a very 8i^i;;nificant character, and form a 

 strikint^ly unfavourable commentary on the Prime Minister's 

 statement. There is no work for additional men ; in fact, in most 

 cases, men are being dismissed. 



"We print by way of contrast with the telegrams, a striking 

 dispatch from our New York correspondent, on conditions in the 

 American engineering- trade. It is stated that the unemployed 

 British skilled workmen could find plenty of work in the United 

 States." 



No Work 



The message telegraphed to the firms in question was in the 

 following terms : — 



" Could you find employment for one hundred skilled workmen 

 from AVoolwich ? " 



Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co., the celebrated engineer- 

 ing firm, of Newcastle- on-Tyne, wired back the following reply : — 



" We regret the suggestion is at present impossible, as we are 

 obliged to pay oil" hands every week." 



Slessrs Kyuoch, of Birmingham, replied — 



" In reply to your telegram, we have to say that, in consequence 

 of Government action, there is more scarcity of employment, and 

 consequently more sullering among our own people than is the case 

 at Woolwich." 



" Can you provide employment for five hundred of our skilled 

 workpeople ? " 



Messrs. Vickers, Sons & Maxim reply from their works at Erith — 



" No. AVe are discharging men, owing to slackness of work." 



The same firm's headquarters at Barrow state : — 



" We cannot find work for men from Woolwich, because, if 

 Government demands continue as at present, we fear we cannot help 

 the men we already have employed." 



The Woohvich labour troubles offered a splendid thesis for 

 an academical work on the subject, but the Press failed to 

 grasp the opportunity. 



Whichever way we turn, we are met by the same trend of 

 thought in respect to labour — the manufactures and trades are 

 regarded as the only means of employment, in spite of the fact 

 that they persistently fail us, and so — we go on missing the 

 way. 



What other Nations do 



Let us now turn to other countries to see what they do 

 there. 



Much is made by economists of the marvellous industrial 

 prosperity of Gennany, the United States, and other civilised 

 countries, and with very good reason. Phenomenal progress 



