ENGLISH "BLACKLEGS" AT ANTWERP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 250, 19 October 1907, Page 9

ENGLISH "BLACKLEGS" AT ANTWERP.

The recruiting of English "blacklegs" to break the dockers' strike at Antwerp is one of the most sordid incidents in'the wretched and unequal struggle that goes on between Capitalism and Labour. The effect upon international feeling is very had, for Continental workers naturally view with high displeasure the action of the Englishmen who allow themselves to ha used as tools in the hands.of the"strikebreakers. The violence metedoutto the "blacklegs" . at the Antwerp "docks "was only what might have been expected, and, instead of having to call out troops to fire on a defenceless nfob by way of protecting a gang of blacklegs from oversea, the more sensible course would surely, be to adopt Mr. Will Crooks' suggestion, and make labour-recruiting for foreign trade disputes subject to the penalties of the Foreign Enlistment Act. Mr. Crooks will bring in a bill to that effect next session. It is to be hoped it gets a hearing. The ill-feeling against the English strike-breakers is spreading on the Continent. In Sweden a boycott has been started amongst workmen against purchasing British goods in consequence of this policy of sending British blacklegs to foreign countries. . Other nations may follow the example of Sweden. There is also the danger of an international stoppage of transport workers in the future. The English Shipping Federation have lepcatedly declare that they never interfere in wages disputes. .The Antwerp dockers are resisting a reduction of wages from -6f.. to sf.' per day—and the English Shipping Federation are assisting to supply men to defeat the Antwerp dockers. Inquiry shows that most of this disgraceful traffic is carried out at the Albert Docks (where trade unionism has always been weak), or among unemployed men in the Barking-road, Canning Town. It is the more regrettable since trade has been very good at the Albert Docks lately, and the men have no need to -help the Belgian strike-breakers in order to live. The men' recruited for the last shipment were chiefly from London. They included a large number of loafers, casual labourers, and men who have been "looking for work" with the strong hope that they would riot find it. "Within these were a certain number of genuine dockers (i.e., men who really have worked continuously at the docks), attracted i by high wages, plenty of beer, and an expectation of getting a free, holiday, with very" little work. It would appear that some of these.-have been disappointed in both respects—they have been forced-too-work, and the beer has not been, so lavish in its flow as they had pictured it. The result was that:.-yester-day trie strike-breakers started to-Joofc the pantry where ffie instrfficient rieer [was reported -to- be-'kept. One: of-the

ship's officers declared that "he had never" [had such a "tough" crowd "on -boarii in 'his,, life, and' 50 of them have" been, i sent back to-London. They complained that trie tobacco was bad andtheTbeer j worse, -and that they were in bodilyfear from' the infuriated strikers. ----- It is admitted to-day by the Shippiiig Federation.that the number of men who ■ haye returned, is considerable, -but they say that they are going to send-out more men. The men employed in-this legalised l "crimping nave- been -agents of the Shipping Federation for years, ever- siuca the Dock strike. It is-quite a profession. They seem to do no other work, but to make enough .money out of. one of these disputes to live, comfortably until tha next turns up. They 'are" generally expugilists, who are* able to take care of themselves if they find themselves in a hostile crowd in the Barking-road; or tha .West . India -Dock-road," where they usually look for their prey:. And so tho miserable business goes on.; First"t'ne foreign "blacklegs"- are .brought over _ to work for the capitah'sts.in:English trade » disputes, .and. then the loose-ends-of-the English labour market are induced to interfere in foreign labour troubles' on the plea that the foreignerlegged"- here.' —. If- this-is- -not-coolie-' labour with-a-vengeance,- one- would like to know what is. " * '"'•.••■ ~ t '