PROBLEMS OF DISTRIBUTION 241 
of rest. But unhappily their interplay 
generates heat, particularly when it is 
resisted, and may take place in an atmos 
phere of misunderstanding, so that the process 
of accommodation is broken and strikes 
and lock-outs all too frequently supervene. 
Moreover, an outbreak once entered upon, 
it is not unlikely that might instead of right 
will prevail. The practical problem which 
confronts us at the moment, with people’s 
prejudices and predilections as they are, 
would seem to be so to smooth the process 
whereby wages are naturally settled that 
appropriate decisions may be reached without 
cessation of work. 
In England much has been done by joint 
wages boards and voluntary conciliation to 
humanise and nationalise procedure in wages 
readjustments. In 1896 the Board of Trade 
was given a status for mediating, and in 
1911 the official machinery for settling and 
preventing industrial disputes was strength 
ened by the appointment of a board represent 
ative of employers’ and workpeople’s interests. 
So far the action of mediators and of 
Government officials, in particular of late 
years, has had the most encouraging results. 
No compulsion is exercised : but it must 
be noted that special legislation was 
Q