Id 
LAND & WATER 
October 19, 1916 
the withdrawal from industry of some five miirion men 
national production exhibits expansion. Admittedly 
this is partly secured by methods of speeding up and in- 
tensification which cannot be maintained indefinitely, 
as they result in tension and fatigue, which ultimately 
affect adversely those subjected thereto/ Still, making 
due allowance for thi§, it is unquestionable that methods 
have improved and output has been stimulated to an 
extent hitherto regarded as impossible. 
Students of industrial questions have been at a loss 
to understand why the average output of American labour 
so greatly exceeded that in this country, especially as 
Americans do not appear to work harder than the British, 
indeed, in some cases hours are shorter. But they work 
under a system of scientific management, with the best 
and most powerful machinery. High wages have raised 
general efficiency, and workers are encouraged to ex- 
pand production by their feward being graded propor- 
tionate to values created. If we arc not to be hopelessly 
beaten in the world's markets our productive efforts must 
produce like results. Therefore we must aim at the 
highest efficiency so that the greatest output accrues 
from the least exertion. Scientists must apply themselves 
to discovering the means to "'this end. Our industrial 
classes must take these discoveries and utilise them to 
promote national trade, commerce, and general well-being. 
But the utmost will not be extracted from the most 
perfect machinery and organisation imless confidence 
supersedes distrust and good-will prevails. Wages high 
enough to insure a decent living must constitute the 
mmimum guaranteed to all workers. This should form 
the foundation of 'a system sufficiently elastic to allow 
ample scope for the exercise of superior skill and energy 
■within which greater output is equitably remunerated. 
The minimum must be secured either by voluntary agree- 
ment or legislative enactment. Both sections must 
cultivate the qualities of honour and efficiency whereby 
each feels the other is doing the best, and can command 
a reciprocal best. A considerable and universal rise in 
wages fills many with the apprehension of ruin. This is 
a traditional fear. Whenever proposals are submitted 
for the elevation of labour, greedy and timid souls, predict 
the destruction of trade thereby. Put • each advance 
makes labour more intelligent and efficient, so that pros- 
perity is aided. Moreover, trade-unionists are .shrewd 
enough to perceive that demands pushed to the detriment 
of an industry recoil on those for whom they act. In 
practice, therefore, they prove reasonable and practical 
persons, ready to co-operate in developing industry on 
sound and secure principles. 
In some quarters it is urged that the workers should 
be admitted to active participation in management. 
Investigation does not reveal any widespread demand 
for this. On the other hand there exists a profound 
mistrust of its practicability m respect of privately owned 
enterprises. The policy favoured is that control of labour 
conditions should be exercised through the trade unions 
and the State. Nevertheless it is desirable that the human 
touch, largely divorced from industry by those impersonal 
abstractions, joint-stock companies, be revived. Regular 
conferences between directors and managers and the 
workpeople, or their chosen representatives, would be 
helpful. At these gatherings matters relative to manage- 
ment, workshop conditions, the general prospects of the 
industry and those of the firm in particular, could be con- 
sidered. The frank recognition of trade unions and work- 
shop conferences would go far to establish clo.ser intimacjC 
cordial relationship and harmony in industry. 
A point to be closely watched is that of the real 
values of wages. As wages do not follow prices the 
workers are rightly resentful of the manipulations of 
food and other necessities whereby prices are artificially 
inflated. They are quick to understand that higher 
wages will not avail if purchasing values are whittled 
away. Again , the incidence of taxation may depreciate 
values. Not only must wages be elevated, but purchas- 
ing power safeguarded against speculative operations. 
Should the workers find themselves duped because the 
values of higher wages are filched from them by indirect 
methods, there will be aroused such a spirit of hostility 
and unrest as will keep industry iii a condition of ferment 
and upheaval to the lasting detriment of the State. 
Sleeping Beauty Awakened 
By Joseph Thorp 
IDG not envy anyone who could be bored at the 
Autunm Exhibition of the work of British Artists 
and Craftsmen, now by courtesy of the Academi- 
cians being held at Burlington House. I should 
like to record the deUberate conviction that no show 
of the last decade, whether organised by the orthodox 
or the eclectic schools, has sent forth so spirited a 
challenge to our national indifference in matters of art, 
or has offered so varied, stimulating and intelligible a 
collection of fine work. 
The Arts and Crafts Society, which is responsible for 
this exhibition, has long deserved well of us and of the 
world. Perhaps, as' is the way of pioneers tired with 
a long and desperate battle against " artistic " trade 
abominations of every kind, it too much distrusts the 
shop and the factory and has consistently neglected an 
opportunity of influencing on any wide scale the whole- 
, sale production of such things as fabrics, wallpapers, 
furniture, pottery, jewellery, printing, and the like. 
It has rather built its" tabernacle on a high i)eak and 
decided that it was good for it to be there. And re- 
latively few outsiders ever saw the inside of the taber- 
nacle to profit by the really beautiful examples that 
were therein to be found. The i:>resent show seems to be 
a drawing of the curtain, a lifting of the light from under 
the bushel. In the consecrated headcjuarters of respect- 
able British art, in a setting specially and most capably 
designed, the general world is in\ited to come and see. 
And not without misgivinp a small place has been found 
for wares actually produced under trade conditions and 
sold vulgarly in real shops ! Out of which heroic con- 
cession I will \enture to prophecy that significant and 
valuable results will flow. 
For though this exhibition is the direct descendant in 
method and appeal of the exhibitions held at Ghent 
in 1913 and in Paris in 11)14, "1"^ i^ not explicitly a war- 
show aimed at the " capture of German trade," it is 
impossible in discussing the matter to avoid menticn 
of and comparison with the Deutsche Werkbund. 
The Werkbund is an association of German artists 
and manufacturers who came together with a view to 
improving the designs and raising the standard of work- 
manship of (icrman manufactures and of capturing by 
these means the lion's, plus the eagle's, share of the 
world's trade. This movement which has accpiired 
considerable momentum in the fifteen years of its exist- 
ence and commands ample funds, in part subscribed by 
its members and in jjart allocated by an astute Govern- 
ment, owes its origin directly to the English artistic 
revival led by William Morris. The two important 
(ierman exhibitions of it)i4. at Cologne of the crafts 
connected with the building and decoration of the house, 
and at Leipzig of Book-production, were proof enough of 
the good work done by this indefatigable association. 
In England the rapprochement between the artist 
and the niamifacturer has never come about. The two 
types are antagonistic, and in any case we have never 
really learnt to honour the artist in England. The man 
of business does not like the other'.s hair, or his hats and 
neckties ; he suspects his food. He cannot understand 
his frequent casualness about money nor his ideas of 
punctuality. Many manufacturers (like Chesterton's 
grocer) keep a bevy of tame " artists " in a cage, or 
attic, expecting them to " turn out " designs from nine 
to six of the d^ck. They are \ery ill paid and trained 
and rank witli office boys and warehousemen as indis- 
pensable accompaniments (jf production. The idea of 
going to the great artists and the master craftsmen of 
I'^ngland for designs has simi)ly not occurred to the 
manufacturer. ■ 1 asked Mr. Brangwyn once why he did 
