50,000 IDLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 107, 7 May 1940, Page 9

50,000 IDLE.

STRIKE TRAGEDY.

COALMINERS STAND FIRM.

FORGED LETTER MYSTERY.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, May 2. The whole city is asking one question: Will the Combined Mining Unions' Council in Sydney decide to call off the coal strike, or will they defy the warning by tlie Prime Minister, Mr. Mcnzies, that he will force the reoj>eiiing of the mines with free labour and thus perhaps precipitate the gravest industrial trouble in Australia's history?. Mr. Menzies intended to take action last Monday, but postponed action until Thursday to allow last minute negotiations to continue.

After seeing Mr. Menzies at Canberra on Sunday, the Federal Labour leader. Mr. Gurtin, with representatives of the A.C.T.U. and the Combined iliiiinsr Unions, hurried t* Melbourne to intorview the Chief Arbitration Judge, Sir George. Beeby. Apparently, the intention wae to call off the "strike if the judge would promise to call a compulsory conference of the men and owners. The judge, however, received the deputation very curtly and merely told them what he had eaid before, that the Court would not call a compulsory conference while they were on strike, but that if they went back to work an application for a variation of the award would be heard immediately.

The decision Is now up to the strike leaders, along with the A.C.T.U.. who, as Labour"* political leader, is naturally anxious for peacft. It is known, however, that before the^interview with the Arbitration Judjre, the strike leaders were considering plans for a drastic extension of the etrike. It is believed that the proposal is to call out members of the Amalgamated Engineering and Engine Drivers and Firemen's Unions from power houseo, with intent to cause a complete black-out.

The. present position is that at least 50.000 men nre unemployed, that railways and tramway services have been cut down by more than 50 )>er cent, that the B.H.P. steel works at Newcastle and Port Kwiiblu have been shut down, that Shipping has been tied up, and that generally industry is gradually coming to a stop and the war effort consequently hampered. On the other hand, it cannot be doubted that any attempt to force reopening of the niinee with free labour would be bitterly and strongly fought. Forged Circular Letter.

Feelings have certainly not been calmed by a piece of dastardly work on somebody's part which can only be interpreted as an attempt to "frame" the well-known general secretary of the Combined Alining Unions, Mr. W. Orr, who is a self-confessed Communist. A letter purporting to be signed by Mr. Orr was sent to the miners' lodges. But not only wae the signature itself an obvious forgery, but the letterhead on which the letter was printed, which purported to be the letterhead of the Miners' Federation, was an even more obvious forgery. Copies of the forgery were immediately handed to the Criminal Investigation Bureau for investigation.

The forged letter made Mr. Orr appear to say: "The federation leadership will not turn back. The leaders of the workers' first republic did not turn back and if need be we are prepared to take up the struggle with arms, just as our comrades in the Soviet did. For years Nelson (general president of the Miners' Federation), Scan/on (Northern Miners' president) and myself have been preparing for this day. As members of the Communist party, pledged to the revolutionary cause, we shall not shirk our duty. We have the full support of all revolutionary workers and they are looking to the miners to play their part as the spearhead in the struggle. All the major organisations are now in our hands. We have the ironworkers, waterside workers, seamen, A.R.U.. and we have secured a strong militant voice in the A.E.U. With this power in the hands of party allegiants there is little to be afraid of. We know our line and we are prepared to use this power when the Government is in the most desperate position."