The Spectator at war: Labour problems

From ‘Labour Problems and the War’, The Spectator, 13 February 1915:

The ultimate object of all Trade Union regulations is to improve the pecuniary position of the wage-earner. How far that object is attained by Trade Union methods is a matter of very keen controversy. There are economists, like the late Mr. T. S. Cree, who have brought forward many strong reasons to show that in the long run the position of the wage-earning classes could not be pecuniarily benefited by Trade Union action. There is no space here to follow out Mr. Cree’s arguments, and for the moment there is no necessity to do so. For the purpose of the controversies which are now likely to be raised no harm will be done in assuming that the conventional view as to the value of Trade Union methods is correct. The real point at present is whether there is a moral justification resting upon Trade Unionists to suspend these methods, however beneficial they may he in normal times, to meet the special conditions existing during a state of war.