1956-07-28 — Page 13

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JULY 28, 1956.

AUTOMATION BECOMES A COLD WAR WEAPON

A controversial series

of interest to every man and woman... .. beginning today By PAUL EINZIG

Hardly a week goes by when we do not hear of some new instance of Automation and its effect on the lives of us all. Thanks to the huge strides in technology since the war, machines now perform highly complicated industrial processes quicker and more cheaply than the workers they replace, Where is this second industrial revolution leading us --- into a workers' Utopia of high wages and short working hours, or into a world where the Machine is master and Man its humble servant? And what of the political consequences of Automation? Will it help the backward countries to achieve higher living standards? Is it Communist policy to hamper Automation in the West? These and many other controversial ques- tions are dealt with by author-economist Paul Einzig in this series of article's, specially conter badwcen

condensed from his forthcoming book, “The Economic Consequences of Automation.'

T

t

appear the

#

WO British Trade between then in the sphere ul relatively kaloto

#tebets union,

Youd-

halte attention gamaly Baineering Union and the Elen Irical Trades Union, have recently dreided to oppose

auth the introduction.

Both the natic factories. unions Art. 103 ing degrees, Communist influenced.

Although the general hos tility of organised industrid labour to automation My TURVA contributed towards their decision, it roust have been inspired to sume de gree by the

Communis

policy to present automan- tion in non-Communist coun- tries. It marks the begin ning of a new phase in the "Cold War" the race for supremacy in the techno- logical sphere,

14

The Soviet Union is mak ing a supreme effori entch up with the West in industrial capacity. To this end. Western Communists are serving Moscow's in- terests by trying to holl up automation in their respres tive countries.

The Contest

W WHILE the race between the

Powers development of Buckur energy is followed with close attention

ת

all over the world, the contra

Th getteral publie does not to appreciate the signi- of progress of autoux. ben in Soviet Russia, or of the Communist efforts to handle a

The Wexl Yel 11s progress in

aly England to realise - station of freedom the West depends at brost ne mark on the cuteome of the automattor iner ge m the refas titer tival progress

་་་་

Powers in the sphere of nuclear developroep 1,

apel lemocracy

יו

CommunitiSTY

higher rate than the dimoerale e vitae, they would be able to

a tootholdt us vel keve-

cuntries

supplying

The feel of in temyational etail ma 14 Fame on ila telahve standarts Report of livir la the two giange of countries

A1 Present. the peoples of the Westin world enjoy on in- comparably higher saniland of living than those of the Com- munist group But it would be #stake fut the democratic peonies rest on their laurels.

Thanks The Communists.

to them trehnological during recent years, will be in a potion to behleve precedented degree of industrin- Himmler in a relatively

them with more of these goedt €2 the denuæratic countries This would secure for them an 115 116 degree of petitient Inflavnice in these countries,

drivis

An automatic office, named Loo, owned by a forge Brillati catering firm, is the first of tie kind in the world. I re- placen over 300 office workers and does their week's work in a matter of hours, with two operators and two mainten- ance engineers. Leo oven has Uime to spare after doing all its owner's office work to take on complicated olerical work for other firms and orgaulaations. Example of its efleten- er: 1 does all the work on a payroll for 15,000 workers in four hours. The same work took 33 clerks a week to get through, Photo shows a general view of Leo operating room.

Communist Exp resulting from The progress f automation need not be aimed doubtful whether 14 could be meliods of totalitarian dilator- exclusively at underdeveloped authenticated, An offel was

ship is an incentive to work countries If they sureted it said to have been sent from harder. 11 discourages manage- substantially increasing their

Moscow to find Oul why menis from Laking initiative outpot and lowering the labour automation WAR Hol bein involving risk. coal of then manufactures as a ndopted quickly enough (1) result of autofhation, they would certain collective farms. Shortly ar toportant port in Sovjet

ལ be in a position to embark on after his arrival this telegram economy,

by its inture. time. If Huy air able to raise export dives with the object reached Moscow: "Have achieved inefferent,

of capturing the markets uf first step in automation Have

art-

Shori

JLE 44

the standard of much

rate higher

thin The deumoci ali countries, sex that the gap between their atlative standards of living would nar- Now, if not disapprese altogether, it would powerfully assis; Cony- munist propaganda both within

Frean the potol of view of nationa detene. it is of vital importance that the demueralte rout tries should retary unit, F megable, increase their lead m The tehnological sphere Other- and That vide The Communist

wise, the bantense

of the Commonta bloc in mnt- tuliul power would enable aggressors to build aje a decisive superiority by war weapons and in destructive power.

Extens

Political Ends

VET another sphery in which

Waid

their

countries Dil

Over

shot all the horses,"

democratic the wet fel,

Such export drives could serve not unly eennomie

ends bus also political

It enas.

earried cu v

JHBcult for The

5 Owing to the standardisu- tun Al production in Soviet Russlu. in disregard of the consumers' desire for

4. Slave labour, which plays

5. Inventors respects disadvantage

ut

their opposite free countries.

Arc In many

A considerable compared with

numbers in the While the latter

cun submit their ideas to a large wider number of firms,

addition to

4

Government, Communist country the veto of single individual or a single

often kills

a large cough che, it is possible to produce the

In very scale, they might make things manufactures

weries. This facilitates The exporting in installation of costly equipment authority lusities of democratic countries. which can only justify itself if invention. The latter, to be able to maint

can produce tain their position In the world interrupted flow.

markets,

77RES! Increase their

12 on

on

This

means

that inventions are often dooned by personal professional jealousy. 6. As consumer goods are Botagonism, error of judgment, permanently in short supply in and other human fallings Russia, it is possible to sell any- which those upon whom the

thing thut

19

of

decisions rest are not immune produced.

where. The difference is that requirements w

In most cases Russian inventors are not given a second chance.

Priorities

industrial

productivity and cut their costs with the aid of automation, The derpocratle countries I the outcome of the inter- must increase their productivity national autonation race is of

In the absence of more com- in wirder to be able to maintain decisive importance

he is that of plete Information it would adequate armed forces and to

Extok- difficult to compare the rate of Consumption has to adapt itself in Russia any mare than clse- the developinent of the with equip them

the latest

automation

Russia willy-nilly to the In Soviet countries weapons,

9 of automation. They

must achieve

und in the leading Western their state people are loft in

countries. What we could und 7 The that end without creating dis-

of semi-starvation,

degree of inequality widespread content by diverting too much distantent is likely

should do is to try to assess the of taxed incomes is today much production are established on a 145 ussis: ortchive capacity from clvd, the Communists in their mib relative akivantages and dis- wider in the Soviet Union than high level and are liable to be in requirements. There must

Owing

advantages which the Com- in the Capitalist States. From changed at any moment. In- verzive activities. well

from this point of view, KUON

Inventive dustries with a low priority are the immense Alunber of rogh butter, This dual end

with more not allocated up to date equip- is provided people involved, it would Could be achieved through pro- necessary for

financial incentive, even though, ment or first-rate labour.

other points Resin automation.

of view, countries

and technologists in the Soviet Union orc

be

it

to

the

The munist system posseIPES

be the point of view alle automation. democratie

of

speedy genius

to increase Their considerably vory

Co-

го

at

il

The Balance

I would be idle to deny that from 10 in many respects a totalitarian scientists

country is in a better position

with proceed rapidly

au disadvantage. tomation than

democratic 6. There Instead of indulging cycles in in wishful thinking, we might and fear well fao: the fact by listing handicap These advantages, even at the automation. Nor do recessions the outcome of the automation

The relative milltary strength output If the lead groups of countries ve able to provide the under- will be largely determined in developed countries with the coming years by the rela sumer goods and capital gooxis live progress they can achieve

on a sufficiently large scale to country. In the antennlion of their pro. make an appreciable difference, ductiem Equally Important If the Communist cinntries むさ from the point of view of the proceert with automation at

PRINTER'S GREMLINS MADE SOME CURIOUS BIBLES

I'

By FRANK HILLINGDON

TT was revealed recently that through an error in translation, devout Christians in the Negro republic of Liberia had boon given a "wrong ungle" on the Lord's Prayer. The phrase "Lead us not into temptation" was translated for the Liberian people us "Do not catch us when we sin." The error was cited by the National Bible Society of Scotland as an example of pitfalls facing translators of the Bible.

one

*

risk that Communist propaganda might make use of the list, care- fully divorced from its context,

No Resistance

are

business no Communist countries, of a slump need not the progress of

is Impossible to form definite opinion

on which side the balance of advantage Ites from the point of view of

La important that public opinion in de- mocratic countries should now realise that it is a matter of lifo and death to win that race.

interfere with the continuous race. flow of demand or with capital expenditure on automation.

0. Although there has been Inflation in Soviet Russia and in other Communist countries since the war, it has been dealt with by compulsory

cuts, Governments

price 1.

saving, and compulsory

other to do measures which are in a position

do not involve teamine the pace of investment any setback in automation.

Communist

in automatic equipment, by 10. Balance of payments simply curtailing the produc- difficulties,

What

The fact that the Communist countries have the advantage in so many respects should spur democracies 10

supreme effort. Every section bf the community can and should play

A

part in this effort. foo, are solved by The employers' contribution tion of consurner goods and means of direct control ever could be the adoption of a pro- towards the production and foreign trade, gressive attitude towards new required and do not necessitate disin inventions, and moderation in flationary monetary policies that respect of the allocation of the would handicap automation. benefits derived from automa-

tion. The

employees could contribute towards victory by their moderating

wages. mands so as to avoid infaling

would

Disadvantages

recently repealed,ORTUNATELY,

from

tho

which

and

de

nocessitate

oppressor. There

3. There can be no question. no means on the side of the inalcat: education and a

Inventives,

of

Bro samo

economie policies

resistance 10 automation

and

Because of errors in translation and ¦ diverting capacity unauthorised changes in the text, Bibles of production

of the certain editions figure among the world's types of capital goods. most valuable books.

2. Until quite recently they One of the most famous of these odd had full power to divert labour to ensure a high rate of editions is the "Breeches Bible."

It ac automation. Even

though quired its title because it contained a state-legislation adopted to that affect ment that Adam and Eve "sowed fig leaves in 1941 was together and made themselves breeches." he is reason to believe that point of view of the causo manures ilable to handicap the The word "breeches" was substituted for will continue to a large degree.

in practice, direction of labour of freedom, all advantages in progress of automation,

the sphere of automation are

The Government, could con "aprons. Similarly the "Beer Bible” Although the most rigitt search is made derived its name from the fact that "beer" of

by

by facal for errors in the text of every newly-printed, was substitute for "strong drink" in Isaiah either by individual workers or grave disadvantages inherent in rather than hinder, automation.

potqtini

monetary Bible, the task of translating from

which help, xxiv, 9,

by drade unlona. The latter are the Communist system as wo tongue to another is often extremely dim- Worst of all is the "Wicked Bible," printed in merely the Soviet Government's know it today,

*The consumer The following tribute by increasing arvings so could con- Many languages have a notable 1891, in which the word "not" is omitted from meok and subservient executive and some of them: poverty of expression, which makes it prac the Seventh Commandment, so that it tooks:gans, whose main task is to

as to provide for the capital tically impossible to find synonyms for the "Unrighteous Bible," In which a passage in the lions

"Theu abalt commit tritory."

Then there is the ensure that official plans and overnment ownership of investment re

required for concerning in industry and extensive centralis Installation of automatie equip original text.

first book of Corinthians reads: "Know yo not that dustrial production aro carried ed control moans a

very high munt. The self-denial involved the unrighteous shall inherit the Kingdom of God" out,

degree of red tape, Inefficiency would be fully justified by the A certain Chinese tribe, for instance,

and corruption, and this It is suspected that not a few mrors in the has never heard of the word "treasure," Bible were made purposely by printers and com be forced

4. Backward producing unile bound to handicap industrial the cause for which it is under

overwhelming importance and their language has no word that corres- authentic proof of their own pet bollets.

'translators many years ago, who wished to create rate of automation,

to increase their progress In general nrich In his automation in pardoular.

taken. Natal ponds to it. Consequently, the Bible in the. An edillon whilch appeared in 1551, for Sir Walter Puckey, President desce of unintelligent political connection, the story quotes by 2 There is a very high language of this tribe contains the passage: instance, might easily have been printed by of the Institution of Production interference with "The Kingdom of Heavan da ilke a musk hempecked husband for the benefit of his wife. Engineers, in his concluding and execution of copnomic and Next Saturday: Paul Einzig

the planning doera musk deer being a valuable possen And if she be not obedient and helpful unto him, the Institution in 1950, AN

verse in the first epistle of St. Peter roads: addrews of the Conference of technological activities. slon in the eyes of tho triba,

9. Although the ever-grasoni

will examine the problem in endoavour to boot the fear of God into her head. `chernotäristic, Pavendar it is desɛ inspices by kbe rulare detali in relation to definon,

cult.

(COPERIGBY,

of.

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