TRADES UNION CONGRESS

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24391, 18 October 1944, Page 3

TRADES UNION CONGRESS

ATTITUDE TO GERMAN WORKERS PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS AT BLACKPOOL (8.0. W.) RUGBY. Oct, 16. The necessity of bringing German war criminals to justice and destroying the Nazi regime was emphasised by Mr Ebby Edwards, general secretary of the British Mineworkers’ Federation, in his presidential address to the Trades Union Congress in Blackpool. “The question of re-establishing relations with this German working class,” he said, “cannot be shelved. We must make up our minds where our duty and responsibility lie with regard to the rebuilding of the German trades unions. "This may well be one of the most difficult, yet one of the most important. of our post-war trades union problems.

“As an internationalist I am intensely disappointed at the lack of reported activities of German trades unionists during the whole period in which Hitler and the Nazi Party have been in power; but our goodwill and our deep desire for full international co-operation will not, I feel, justify a refusal to admit German working class organisations to our fellowship. We must be ready, willing, and anxious to help the working class movement in Germany, as in every other country, to rebuild Itself on free democratic principles.” Germany must be completely demilitarised, actually and potentially, he said. Such issues were far too grave to be settled by a few statesmen. The voice of the people must have a part in the settlement and must underwrite it.

Mr Edwards advocated public ownership of basic industries and essehlial services in Britain, including the section of the engineering industry concerned with the production of armaments and munitions.

T.U.C. AND PRESS NEWSPAPERS NOT REPRESENTED (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON. Oct. 17. Only members of the National Union of Journalists are being permitted to report the proceedings of the Trade Union Congress, according to a decision of the general council of the congress. The general secretary (Sir Walter Citrine), in a statement to the Congress. said the council would watch with great care how the newspapers behaved towards the Congress. There were certain powers resident in the unions associated with the Congress, and the situation would be carefully considered in the light of what happened. Most of the London and provincial newspapers are not represented at the Congress, in accordance with a decision by the newspaper proprietors’ conference. The “Daily Mail,” in a leading article, said: “The ‘Daily Mail’ has no quarrel with the Trade Union Congress or with the National Union of Journalists; but when the unions attempt to dictate to this and other newspapers who should or should not be sent to their proceedings, we feel they are going outside their province.”

“The Times.” in a leading article, says: “The usual staff of reporters from ‘The Times’ is not attending' the Trade Union Congress. Unless liberty of selection is most jealously guarded, as it will be. there can be no guarantee of the newspaper’s independence.’’