Pol/F.022B/N.007
Advocacy by Mr Ward
The Minister for Labour, Mr Ward, yesterday praised the British Government's scheme for control of the coal industry.
He said that only by nationalisation of the industry could Australia achieve maximum coal output.
"The decision," said Mr Ward, "showed a live appreciation of three major points:-That the coal deposits of a country are the real assets of that country and should not be 'cornered' by individuals; that the removal of the profit motive from the industry will tend to promote more harmonius [sic] co-operation between all parties concerned with the production of coal and lead to a stepping-up of production; and that the common ideas of 'not changing horses in mid-stream' and of putting off reforms till after the war are fallacious.
"When the production of coal is conducted according to the dictates of personal profit," Mr Ward continued, "the not uncommon result is for owners to concentrate their labour supply on the most profitable parts of the mines. When a seam begins to peter out, the labour is switched to a more profitable part. The result is the loss of the maximum production, and, where a seam is allowed to lie unused for a length of time, the loss of that coal to the nation.
"Coal is the natural wealth of the country and belongs to the nation as a whole. It is not the personal property of the man who happens to have the necessary capital to work it. Nationalisation recognises this fact.
"From the point of view of labour, where profits rule the better judgment of the owners, the way is open to constant irritation of the miners and the pin-pricking tactics which have been apparent in other countries where profit is still the dictator.
"High-pressure production under the profit system must create in the miners' minds the thought that the harder they work, the more the mine-owners take in profits. The miners, who are as loyal as any other section of the community, will work all-out for the sake of the country and the liberties and principles they have. But it is asking too much for them to expend the same energy for the sake of the war-profiteer.
"On the third point of 'not changing horses in midstream,' Britain seems to have realised the obvious fact that if the horse you are riding is going to collapse under you at any moment, you would be a fool not to change over on to a stronger horse. Nationalisation will get maximum production; now is the time we need maximum production most. One supplies the answer to the other."