National Industrial Conference Research Articles

The Failure of Consensus in Britain: The National Industrial Conference, 1919–1921

On 27 February 1919, while Britain and most of Europe were gripped by serious industrial unrest, 600 trade unionists and 300 employers met leading cabinet ministers and civil servants at a National Industrial Conference in London. After a morning's debate, the trade unionists and employers separated, each to select thirty representatives to form a ‘provisional joint committee’ (P.J.C.) which might translate the morning's general good humour into hard practical proposals for mutual cooperation and reform. Within five weeks the committee had drawn up a report embracing twenty-six reforms, which was duly confirmed by the reconvened conference on 4 April and approved in principle by Lloyd George (with impeccable timing) on 1 May. The report was a major initiative in domestic policy. Although pledged at the 1918 election to build a ‘land fit for heroes’, the government – fully absorbed in the immediate problems of European settlement, demobilization and decontrol – had had little time to consider its practical implementation. With the report, both sides of industry had provided it with an agreed programme of reform which enabled it, in the industrial sphere at least, to commence the fulfilment of its election promises.

1919–20 is in Need of Attention

i919 Clyde and Belfast strikes. Sankey Coal Commission. National Industrial Conference. Cotton, Police and Railway strikes. Industrial Courts Act. Unemployment Insurance Act [sic]. Various Reconstruction Acts and schemes. Versailles Treaty. Washington Labour Conference. Third International. i920 Great capitalist boom. Building Guilds. Amalgamated Engineering Union. Irish Civil War. Dockers' Inquiry. Communist Party. Council of Action stops intervention in Russo-Polish War. Trades Union Congress reorganized. Coal Dispute. Emergency Powers Act. Unemployment Insurance Act. Deflation begins. Cole and Postgatel-

An Industrial Research Department

Of value alike to large and small or ganizations and to all engaged in the conduct of research, the following ar ticle by the assistant director of one of the nation's greatest industrial organi zations merits wide attention and study. This paper was presented at a round table conference on "The Role of Technical Research on Product Development," which was held in con junction with the 262nd regular meet ing of the National Industrial Confer ence Board at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York, N. Y., September 21, 1944.

BENEY, M. ADA. Cost of Living in the United States, 1914-1936. Pp. ix, 99. New York: National Industrial Confer ence Board, 1936. $2.50

BENEY, M. ADA. Cost of Living in the United States, 1914-1936. Pp. ix, 99. New York: National Industrial Confer ence Board, 1936. $2.50

The Taxation of Banks. National Industrial Conference

Previous articleNext article No AccessBook ReviewsThe Taxation of Banks. National Industrial ConferenceJohn B. WoosleyJohn B. Woosley Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Journal of Political Economy Volume 43, Number 6Dec., 1935 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/254878 Views: 2Total views on this site PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

Oil Conservation and Fuel Oil Supply. Pp. xiv, 165. New York: National Indus trial Conference Board, Inc., 1930. $2.50

Oil Conservation and Fuel Oil Supply. Pp. xiv, 165. New York: National Indus trial Conference Board, Inc., 1930. $2.50