THE GREAT TROUBLE IN SYDNEY

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 41, 17 August 1917, Page 8

THE GREAT TROUBLE IN SYDNEY

FINAL APPEAL TO STRIKERS

On Thursday evening, 9th inst., ths Acting-Premier of New South Wales (Mr. G. W. Fuller) issued the following appeal to the railway and tramway workers of New South Wales :—

You have been on strike for one week. The Government has not up to the present introduced any special legislation or interfered with your Strike Committee. AYe felt confident that during that week you would realise your mistake and go back to work.

It should be clear to you now that there is something behind this strike you were not aware of last Thursday.

Mr. Buckley, M.L.A., and other extremists, now publicly boast that the card system has little to do with the strike, and that what they wanted was a revolt against the Government. Yon are being grossly and wickedly misled by your leaders. The Taylor or any other system of speeding up will not be introduced into our railways. There is to be no increase in the cost of supervising work. The rights of old railway servants are not to be cut down or interfered with. The Government has not made, and never had any intention of making, an attack on unionism.

It only asserts that Government employees should not go on strike. Remember that many of you are on strike in violation of your union rules, which provide for a ballot before the declaration of a strike. Why have your rules been scrapped by a strike committee? Save your unions from destruction. Come back to work this week as unions—not next week as a rabble.

Increasing numbers 'of workmen are coming back every day. There are four times as many trams and trains running to-day as on Tuesday. You cannot fight the overwhelming weight of public opinion, which is against you. In your own interests be at your places at starting time to-morrow (Friday). Today is, the last day for you to consider your position. Think what it means if you are not at work to-morrow (Friday) morning. Australia will be regarded with contempt by those who are heroically lighting the German menace in Europe. The growing financial difficulties of your Government will be increased. Unemployment will become more and more serious. You will yourselves suffer great loss, both in privileges and prestige. Why? Because the extremists have succeeded in doing what they have been scheming to do for the past two years. Brush these extremists aside, and play your part as men. The Government, knowing what influences are at work, must, and will, if you do not return to work at your usual starting time on Friday, carry out the terms of its manifesto. _ We are not concerned about our dignity or that of the Railway Commissioners.

We will never, whils entrusted with control of the affairs of this State, admit that employees of the State have, under any circumstances, the right to strilß while the law provides other means of settling disputes.