“NO WORK—NO FOOD”

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 270, 27 August 1946, Page 3

“NO WORK—NO FOOD”

Miners’ Motto for Production ,(Rec. 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 26. Production needs are so great that the time has come to apply the slogan “if a man won’t woi'k neither* shall he eat,” said the Communist, Mr Arthur Horner, to miners of Tonypandy, Glamorgan, in his first public speech since he was elected, as secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers. Mr Horner said the present manpower could not produce the coal Britain needed for full employment and a large increase of manpower for the pits was vital. The majority of the British coal miners accepted the obligation to do everything possible to produce sufficient coal, but at the same time it was not their full responsibility. All the people must share the burden involved and must be ready to contribute manpower and use hard won fuel with the utmost efficiency and care.

The fact that a person had sufficient money without needing work should not entitle him to participate in commodities without his contributing to their production, he added. It is officially announced that the output of coal has dropped by 95,000 tons a week, partly owing to holidays and partly to absenteeism.