co-operation and endeavour to secure the greatest common 
good of the industry and its rightful position in the 
national economic Life. 
The question is one of supreme importance to the work- 
people. Directly, they have more at stake than any other 
interest involved. In a major degree the many thousands 
of workpeople’ with the acquired skill and experience of 
the best part of a lifetime of service to the industry have 
thus invested therein the asset upon the use of which de- 
pends their economic conditions and their ability to carry 
aut their obligations to their homes and to society as self- 
respecting citizens, and they cannot be oblivious to a 
situation the consequences of which so vitally concern 
them. 
There have been many views expressed and reasons 
given for the problems of the British iron and steel in- 
lustry, and various remedies proposed for their solution. 
An examination of cause and remedy in relation to each 
other is necessary in order to arrive at any well-considered 
2onclusions. 
We were the pioneers in iron and steel production, and 
up to the latter part of the past century this country held 
premier position in that respect. Moreover, it was largely 
the discoveries of our research workers and the genius of 
our inventors which made possible the enormous develop- 
ment of the metallurgical industries, while the experience 
of British skilled workmen, engineers and organisers was 
used to enable other countries, previously our customers, 
now our competitors, to establish the industry within 
their borders ‘and to utilise for their own needs their 
hitherto undeveloped resources. These countries, how- 
ever, had no old traditions and methods to shake off, and 
by the end of the century they had so developed their in- 
dustries, particularly the United States and Germany, 
that with a world production of steel of over 271 million 
tons, the United States produced nearly 10} million tons, 
Germany 5% million tons, while Great Britain came third 
with nearlv 5 million tons. 
During the first twelve years of the present century 
British production remained practically stationary, but 
in 1913, the year before the War, we attained our record 
production of raw steel of 7,660,000 tons. By this time, 
however, the United States had reached 81.300.000 tons 
and Germany 17.320.000 tons. 
While the progress of other iron and steel producing 
countries was inevitable, the rate of that progress as com- 
pared with this country was undoubtgdly due to their 
greater readiness to adapt themselves to new developments 
and new needs, their greater sense of the value of organi- 
sation, and their recognition of the importance of their 
home market as a basis of industrial policy. 
( =~