TKANSACTIONS OF SECTION F. 791 



participate mutually in the benefits of social insurance and protective regulations, 

 and in the promotinf^ of labour legislation in the two countries. Various 

 countries (Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, Luxemburg) have come to terms 

 concerning individual questions of workman's insurance, or in concluding com- 

 mercial treaties, and have agreed upon regulations atlecting the mutual protection 

 of their workpeople (Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, and Switzerland). The 

 International Association is continuing to carry on its work. Prohibition of 

 night-work for youths ; children's work and the protection of children ; regulation 

 of home-industry ; introduction of measures against dangers from the use of 

 poisons (lead) ; international accident insurance ; maximum length of workdays — • 

 these are the subjects for the next conference, which, it is hoped, will move a step 

 forward towards the conclusion of new international treaties. 



Anybody who sees in the protection of workmen of his own country an act 

 of obedience to the call of justice and also a necessity for the maintenance of the 

 health and the efficiency of the working classes, will also recognise in inter- 

 national treaties concerning labour legislation a furtherance of humanity and an 

 effective adjustment of competition. It is the interest of every civilised nation 

 and of every industrial country to promote the realisation of these aims. 



3. Proposals for an Economic Survey oj the United Kingdom. 

 By Henry W. Macrosty, B.A. 



An economic survey of the United Kingdom is proposed, not only as a task. 

 useful in itself, but also as one which is a special duty of the economists, while 

 its execution would rescue the economic profession from its present position of 

 disregard. Economists are considered by a great mass of people to be not only- 

 men of mere theory, but also theorists who have derived their beliefs from the 

 study of industrial conditions long past. Whether this charge is true or 

 false, its effects are the same. If economic theories were such as to give their 

 students a command over industrial conditions, their opinions would be regarded 

 as authoritative by statesmen and manufacturers. This is far from being the 

 case. In fact, the weakness of economics is that its generalisations, however true, 

 are so general that they are remote from the problems of everyday life, and the 

 two cannot be brought into any close relation with each other. It is therefore 

 necessary to leave theory on one side for a time and ascertain what are the facts 

 of the industrial world and how they have come to be what they are. This 

 done, it will be possible to test and complete our theories and to set forth those 

 subordinate generalisations which will connect them with the questions of every- 

 day life. 



An economic survey is particularly necessary for the two new departments 

 of economics. Business economics, which treats of the conditions of business 

 success ; and social economics, which is concerned with the relations between the 

 individual, the trade, and the nation. The work has, indeed, been begun by 

 individuals, who have dealt with special problems or the condition of particular 

 classes ; but the most essential feature of the present proposals is that any trade 

 which is dealt with should be treated as a whole and described and analysed in 

 all its parts and relations. Only then can we tell how that particular trade stands. 



The survey of a trade will fall into the following main divisions — -sources of 

 raw materials, methods of manufacture, machinery of sale, organisation, position 

 in the State. The sources of information are technical works, technical journals, 

 and journals of scientific societies, trade papers, prospectuses, company reports, 

 blue-books, and personal investigation. The Economic Section should appoint an 

 organising committee, which would institute advisory committees of manufacturers 

 to assist in obtaining the necessary information, overcoming trade jealousies, and 

 preventing the publication of trade secrets. The details of the investigation 

 would have to be worked out by the general committee, but success depends upon 

 securing efficient investigators and enough money. Still, to achieve a survey of 

 even one industry would be useful. 



