based on the imports of finished and semi-finished steel for 
the nine months ending September, 1925, which substan- 
tially exceeded the imports for the whole of 1924. 
“Quite apart from the physical and moral advantages of 
placing workpeople in employment, a saving of anything 
from £3,000,000 to £4,000,000 in Unemployment Benefit 
would acerue.?’ 
It should be stated the principle embodied in the above 
resolution was regarded as consistent with the conclusion of 
the Committee on Sweated Imports and International Stan- 
dards set up by the Labour Party, whose report was sub- 
sequently issued and which adopted prohibition of imports 
when these were produced under unfair conditions as re- 
cognised by national conventions and with what is the 
basis of the Fair Wages Clause established by Parliament. 
Moreover, under our immigration laws the importation 
of labour, if not prohibited, is very stringently regulated. 
Trade showed signs of improvement at the end of 1925, 
but in the following year the industry was brought to a 
complete standstill by the national lock-out in the mining 
industry, and 1927 was a time of recovery from that 
stoppage. 
Meanwhile the effect of the importation of foreign bars 
in the South Wales Steel Trade resulted in representations 
from our South Wales branches, and the question was 
raised again as to prohibition and also whether our Tin- 
plate members should not refuse to work foreign bars, but 
the Executive Council did not favour the latter course. 
As, however, no action of a concrete character seemed 
likely to evolve from the Committee on Industry and 
Trade, the Council again discussed the situation, and it 
was decided to ask the Government to set up a Committee 
of Inquiry into the Industry. Having ascertained from 
the Parliamentary Labour Party that they would support 
the proposal—if necessary, in the House of Commons—a 
letter was addressed to Mr. Baldwin in which the Executive 
Council proposed that the purpose of the Committee 
should be “to make a full and impartial inquiry into the 
industry and to ascertain as far as possible all the facts 
with regard to its present position, with special reference 
to the nature of the competition in the home market, and 
to make such recommendations whether as regards action 
by the industry itself or legislative action as, in the com- 
sidered judgment of the appointed body, the circumstances 
require, due regard being paid to all legitimate interests. 
In particular, the appointed body shall have regard 
to :— 
(a) Whether the organisation of the industry, its tech- 
nical and mechanical equipment, and its financial 
policy is such as to enable it—other things being 
(19)