20 
the business. The following is-a desiga 
for a manufacturing company. 
The chief body consists of the executive 
officers elected according to the by-laws of 
the corporation. Regular meetings to dis. 
puss communications or resolutions are 
held. It has the right to veto any mea= 
sures sent up to it by the workers’ repre- 
sentatives. Its powers also embrace the 
larger problems of management. Any 
change affecting the workers, is framed 
and, with the reasons, sent to the Workers’ 
Representative Council—as we may call it. 
Here, after consideration, on the finding of 
this body, it would be adopted or rejected. 
The workers themselves, by secret baltot, 
elect the W.R.C. The manuer of represen 
tation naturally varies according to the size 
and character of the business; representa- 
tion by departments probably being the 
more generally satisfactory meetings to be 
held in the company’s time. At these 
meetings complaints and suggestions may 
be mooted, and if necessary, committees 
lormed to investigate and report on meas 
sures under consideration, Ivery dispute 
must eome before the W.R.C. which, after 
discussion, passes a resolution to correct 
the trouble. This is then submitted to the 
Chief Executive Council, for ratification. In 
larger concerns, an intermediary body of de~ 
partmental heads, foremen and others, may 
be necessardy. This body, representing 
those under the rank of chief executive 
who are in authority over the workers 
themselves, would have powers similar to 
those of the W.R.C. It would receive 
measures from the latter and, if in concur- 
rence, pass them on to the Chief Executive 
Council for final approval. 
Once every three months a combined 
meeting of the representative bodies should 
be held, reports on the past quarter's work 
and progress read and discussed, and plans 
for future development received. It would 
also be advisable to hold a mass meeting 
of all employed, from the chairman of 
directors downwards, once every six 
months. In this way complete representa- 
tion of all concerned in the welfare of the 
business is obtained and employer and 
employee, by direct contact, come to a 
better knowledge and appreciation of one 
another’s view points. The chance of 
gerious and bitter misunderstandings is 
thus minimised. All meetings must be 
held in the company’s time. The system 
will fail if they are held after hours or 
stherwise in the employee's time. 
The above outline is capable of grea 
development. It is primarily applicable to 
manufacturing concerns, but can be modi- 
fied to suit all classes of industry in Aus- 
tralia. - The plan will not succeed without 
a desire on the part of everyone to ap- 
proach it in the right spirit. It rests on 
the acceptance of a common policy and a 
mutual aim embodied in certain elementary 
principles. These must be clearly estab- 
lished with employer and employee before 
it is put into operation. - They are: Jus: 
tice, Economy. Energy, Co-operation and 
Service 
Our Industrial Problems. 
At the outset, separate meetings at 
which every person in the company is res 
quested to be present, should be held 
during working hours, to discuss each of 
these basic principles in turn. In straight 
talks, the benefit to all concerned of a 
common working policy, fair dealing and 
the will to pull together, must be empha-~ 
sised, the importance of the five code 
words made clear, and employees, officers 
and directors enlisted to act on them by 
resolutions of adoption. So, at successive 
meetings, a business policy embodying 
them all will be built up. Printed copies, 
distributed and prominently displayed, will 
be at once a useful reminder and a record 
of the new spirit. The plan of represen» 
tative government may then be presented 
and fully explained, stressing the hearty 
adoption of the business policy as essential 
to its success. It should be pointed out 
that the men will gain money under the 
new plan. Following the co-operative idea, 
ag the business accounts showed a 
Saving in Costs 
his amount would be equally divided; 
half going to the workers at short, regular 
intervals as a dividend on wages. 'Thus, 
the men would have an incentive to try 
out the scheme; at the same time proof 
of their employers’ good faith be shown. 
When it was seen that a square deal was 
in force, it would be realised that increased 
production meant higher dividends and 
induce a general effort towards’ efficiency. 
The men would begin to use their heads 
as well as their hands, to their own profit 
as well as that of their employers. The 
interest in the periodical dividends would 
be increased by posting up the reasons for 
Ructuations; particularising and allocating 
whenever possible The elimination of 
causes of a low dividend would follow. Pay- 
ment by results would be a natural outcome 
of the system. It would be to the inter- 
pst of the workers to establish it. As they 
[hemselves have power to fix rates, they 
would be safe from the fear of unfair cut. 
ling. It is not possible here to enumer« 
ate all the advantages of the scheme. A 
little thought will suggest many more than 
bave been given. 
No revolution, industrial or otherwise, 
has been accomplished unless the mind of 
the populace is prepared and has developed 
agreement with the change. We need only 
get any scheme generally approved of and 
it may be put into operation. Demoerati¢ 
representation in industry will be viewed 
with suspicion until the minds of the pare 
ties are ready to receive it. Whatever 
plan is attempted, however sincere, will be 
questioned by the workers, while employers 
will fear to give such power into untried 
hands. 
The greatest force to-day in influencing 
public opinion is undoubtedly pro- 
paganda. The mass of literate hu 
manity acquires its views and opinions 
on current questions more or less ready 
made from the great newspapers whose 
ower in swaying popular feeling has been 
Be Hanoy with “The Western Mail”