THE GENERAL STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 101, 24 January 1927, Page 11

THE GENERAL STRIKE

ACTION OF TRADES UNION CONGRESS VINDICATED MINERS AMENDMENT RULED OUT/ APPEALS TO FORGET THE PAST The action of the council of the Trades Union Congress in calling off the general strike was vindicated at the conference at Westminster. The miners’ amendment to refer the reports of Congress and the miners to the affiliated unions for a decision on the merits was ruled out by the Standing Orders Committee. The chairman of the Conference urged delegates to heed the appeals of speakers to forget the past and build up the movement.

London, January 21.

A setback for the miners marked the resumption of the strike inquest, the chairman, Mr. Hicks, announcing that the Standing Orders Committee had ruled out the miners’ amendment to refer the separate reports of the Trades Union Congress and the miners to the affiliated unions for a decision ou the merits. The miners’ leaders protested against the decision, after which the lesser lights of the union movement continued the debate. The vote resulted in the endorsement of the the General Council’s action by 2,840,000 against 1,095,000. The vote was enthusiastically cheered. The miners, woodworkers, furnishing trades and distributive workers voted against the council.

pass judgment on the action calling off the strike. Most likely, the miners’ delegates’ conference will be held, to consider the leadership and policy during the strike, in view of the-verdict passed thereon by trades unionism. T.U.C. PAYMENTS FOR 5 POLITICAL PURPOSES TEST CASE DISMISSED < • London, January 21. There was loud and spontaneous cheering at the Trades Union Congress strike inquest to-day, when it was announced that Mr. Justice Eve had dismissed a test case questioning the validity of the Trades Unioil Congress payments for political purposes. A member of the Shop Assistants, Warehousemen and Clerks’ Union sought an injunction to restrain the union from making payments to the Trades Union Congress so long as the latter used the money for political objects, including the financing of Labour newspapers and a campaign in favour of the nationalisation of mines. The Registrar of Friendly Societies had previously decided that the payments complained of did not constitute political obj’ects within the definition of the Trades Union Act.

The chairman urged that delegates heed the speakers’ appeals and forget the past, and build up the strength of the movement to resist future attacks.

(Rec. January 23, 5.5 p.m..) London, January 21. The issue which has agitated all branches of trade unionism since the general strike was called off has been definitely closed with the overwhelming vindication of the Trades Union Congress’s action. The miners, supported by a couple of smaller unions, came prepared to fight, but the decision . of the Standing Orders Committee ruling out the amendment proposing a vote of the rank and file virtually spiked their guns. Nevertheless their representatives raised ineffective protests, but the delegates generally supported the view that as thev were the body which mandated the General Council to call the-strike, they should be the body to

Mr. Justice Eve held that the Legislature did not contemplate that the ’ complainant, when he failed in an, appeal to the Registrar, could go to the: , Courts. The remedy sought was not founded on a breach of rules but cn a breach of the Statute. The latter had not been established.