THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 19952, 23 August 1928, Page 16

THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

[By Veteuan.]

Brief contributions on matters with reference to the Labour Movement arc invited. HUMAN REPAIR SHOPS. I was interested in reading an article in the Liverpool ‘Weekly Post' on the above subject by “ Grey Quill,” who writes tho Labour notes every week in that paper Ho begins by saying how trade unions can lead the way in providing places where tired workers can win back health. Ho speaks of different Ironies that have been provided for different classes of workers, and of visits ho had paid to these homes. In starting his article in tho ‘ Post ’ of Juno JO he says; “ Some time back 1 touched upon tho relations of tho workshop and the hospital. As I showed, they are very closely related ; and .sometimes, through tho fault of cither the workman or the workshop, too closely related to the cemetery. Vet it is strange that organised Labour, which lias done so much to reduce hours of work, increase wages, and improve general working conditions, has done so little in the way of providing rest or holiday, homes, eleven holiday camps, for the men in the many regiments in the industrial army. “A few days ago 1 read in.a London

newspaper that the printing and kindred trades of London had added a new wing to their convalescent home at Lirnpsficld, a little village in one of the loveliest spots in the Southern counties I know the home quite well, having paid two or three visits to it, when I was down in Surrey as tho guest of Mr Havelock Wilson and tho Seamen and Firemen’s Union two or three years ago. “ I must confess that the Printers’ Homo was not so well laid out as that of the seamen, probably because one was the gift of a wealthy shipowner and the other was built on the hard-earned pennies of tho printers 'if London, Nevertheless, the printers’ rest home was far better than anything,wo have iu the North Country, if wo except tho Homo for Aged -Mariners at Egrc mont and the.railwayman's rest'house; hut tho Seamen’s Homo was a dream of delight, equal to aught in the wide world. 1 cannot give it higher praise than saying it was a beautiful, quiet haven fit for any man. even for a sailor, who had taken his part honourably in tho world’s work, and after a long life of strenuous davs desired some |>eaceful spot where ho could end his remaining hours of life in calm tranquillity.

“ The home had boon built ns a palace of rest by one of those merchant princes who, whether in London or in Liverpool, carry the same intensive intelligence into their homo life that they exercise in their daily work. It crowned a hill which looked down on an undulating slope that gradually faded into a valley tar beneath; a fringe of pleasant trees half-ricled the front of the home, whilst behind it stretched a glorious vista of country whoso tender green was oyc-healing to the man whoso vision was glutted with bricks and mortar. As a mark of appreciation of what the men of the mercantile marine had done for the Umpire during the Great War width was to end war, and has not, Mr David Kadcliffe, tho well-known shipowner, at the suggestion of Mr Havelock Wilson, presented tho building as a convalescent homo for seamen to the Sailors and Firemen’s Union. Mr Wilson, with his amazing energy, set about tho task of raising £70,000 (if I remember rightly that was tho exact sum) to equip it. Ho found two powerful seconders in--it is a queer world, and strange, unlikely persons arc olten thrown together—tho Duke of York and George Kobey. Tho Duke has always boon a hard worker in benevolent causes; and there is no mau living with a more royal, kindly heart than George Kobey, who raised £11),01)0 for the fund, and has a ward named alter him which will carry on his good name amongst men long after his quips, his quiddities, and his flashes, which sot a whole theatre in a roar, have been forgotten. “ I slept in the same bed that the Duke of York slept in the evening of tho day that ho opened the Limpslicld Seamen's Convalescent Home. If the Duke is better housed elsewhere, then tho linos of dukes arc cast in very pleasant places. And the cook —well,. I’ ouco gave a piece of brief, uuforgoltable advice to a bride: kisses don’t last; cookerv does. Tho cook was the widow of an old sailor who had taught her foc’slo cookery, to which sho had added a few excellences of her own, I spent but four days in this Elysium amongst a lot of qld salts, each of whom could have furnished my friend “The Skipper” with enough yarns to lill a thousand log books. 1 wrote an article for seamen in another journal, pointing out that tho members of the Seaman and Firemen’s Union had a convalescent homo second to none in all England, well worthy the trifle they were asked to contribute to it for its annual upkeep; but I might have added, what 1 say now, that the organised workers of Liverpool had no place j in tho pleasant Wirral or amid the I kindly Welsh hills to which a tired, sick j worker could retire to rest and broatho clean, vigorous air, winch would give j back tho health lie had last, nor where I a workman who merciy wished to take a holiday, sleep free ol work worries,

find c:)t with ail the healthy appetite of a stron" man, could take a lortui«liL’s holiday.''

“ iuo.se who_ have been, carried into thy itoyal infirmary, as 1 was, and walked out, after iliroo weeks’ lingeriug on the border between life and death, have lelt the thrill of the open air after having been tied •to a sick bed horn which uno has been rescued by, a skilful surgeon, a kindly nurse, lint there comes a time with one’s work when it becomes hateful, tiresome, something to be dreaded, and a holiday amid “fresh woods and pastures new '' becomes, a gift - from heaven.

“it is tho reproach of Liverpool that, with its seventy thousand organised workers, it has neither a. trades hall, a workshop library, nor, saddest of all, a trades convalescent home. Some years ago, in the great days when Joseph Cleary was general secretary or the Warehouse Workers’ Union, that body had a Convalescent Horae at Heswali, with a very moderate tarilf of I charges. But 1 have not heard anything of it for years, beyond the information that it was poorly patronised and not likely to survive 111 its original form. More’s the pity. “ There arc not enough convalescent homes in and about Liverpool to complete the splendid, health-restoring services of the Royal infirmary, and our other hospitals. As human repair shops, they are in such strenuous demand that, 'iterally, and absolutely, one patient has to leave a, hospital led before another patient can bo admitted. Yet, though the doctor, the surgeon, and tho nurse can accomplish, they cannot complete, miracles, in tho interest of their members tho trade unions of Liverpool ought to combine to buy and organise a really big building, cither in tho Wirral, or m some part of Liverpool, where tho jerryouildcr has not been allowed to run rampant, which can he used either ns a convalescent or a holiday homo. 1 saw, several _ days ago, a beautiful building within a private park situated in the most lovely corner of Aigburth. “ It originally belonged to one of those Liverpool traders who used to teach Scotsmen and Jews how to gather riches. Ho must have been a whimsical cuss, for at one part of the glorious grounds was an old ruin to which someone, probably tho late owner, had added a section of a mock monastery with curious rails, mid even more curious images, gargoyles that mado one rook with laughter to sco shom, and images jnth, droll faces

whoso mutation would make the i'ortuno of many a comedian. The sight of any of these comic statuettes, or busts, would make a sick man laugh himself into good health. I thought that this would mate an ideal convalescent home for some trade union—a beautiful house situated' in a treeshadowed lane, with lovely ' walks, a pleasant lawn, and, in addition, within easy reach of the relatives of anyone scut there for the sake of his or her health. I believe this place ts for sale. It is a great chance. “The lead rests with the Transport Workers’ Union, which is the most powerful and progressive of all the j organised workers of the kingdom. this j great union, through its general sccref I tary, that very live wire, Ernest Bevin, I has practically endowed a workers’ hospital at (Holders Green, London. Can Mr Bevin' not set to, work, to bring [ about a great convalescent homo and i Vest house for the “members of_ bis union in Liverpool and district, giving facilities tor other trade- unionists who j desire its benefits-to-, share-them on j payment of a fair contribution? Bevin has done so many big tilings that this} should be easy for him. Mr Bovin, the word is now with yoii I” SOCIALISM ABSURD. Mr James Sexton, M.P.. in the House of Commons, writing .in the Liverpool ‘Weekly Post’ of Juno 30, about a so-called split in: the Labour movement, says The daily ‘stunt’ ; Press, letting the wish be father to the .; thought, lias taken the utmost advantage of the so-called rift in .the Labour ' lute, and is magnifying tluy Maxton-' Gook episode. The newspapers 1 refer to are making the ‘ revolt,’ as they call it; a pretext’for the prophecy Hint a considerable number of the workerk may leave the Labour fold- fo. the new movement. The first point 1 make con- i corns Maxton. What about him? His intense and bitter hatred of the capitalist system and his honesf and sin- - acre championship of-its victims, the! bottom-dogs; has, in my opinion, been responsible for his partnership with .. Cook. - ‘‘ To those who knolv both men as I do, the combination is indeed a most ; remarkable one. That both of them are serious, honest,and vigorous in their expression of opinion goes without saying, but a clash, in my opinion (though in the excitement of the moment it is not apparent to others), is bound to no mo in the mentality and temperament of the two men themselves. “In the tirst place, Maxton, notwithstanding bis somewhat picturesque revolutionary appearance, simply redolent of street barricades, and his fearless attacks on the capitalist system, is , not only most highly respected for his exceptional ability by everyone in the Commons, from the Prime Minister and the Chancellor down to the more common or garden back bencher, but is also regarded almost with affection by nearly "everybody who disagrees with ; him politically, on account of ins cour- , 1 teay and charming geniality. Cook, on the other hand, equally _ honest, no doubt, has a vigour of a different style, ' and manages ,to make enemies even ; among those friends in bis own camp, not so much because of what ho says

as the nasty way ho says it. • What the actual result of this most peculiar partnership may he—whether it will extend beyond Maxton and Cook —remains to ho seen. Meanwhile, there is not the slightest cause for alarm; and so, what was intended lor a bomb fused by the Press and thrown broadcast, among Labour’s rank and file, lias so far proved to bo so damp a squib liiat it didn’t oven liz?; at the weekly party meeting, the business of which was conducted methodically without even the slightest reference being made-to the so-called revolt.” METAL WO]IK'EPS AND THE HOLMES CONVENTION. The conference of the Central Committee of the International Metal Workers' Federation, which concluded in London on -May tit), passed unanimously a resolution viewing with grave apprehension the attitude of the British and some other Governments on the ratification of the Washington Convention. The resolution further deplored the British Government’s suggestion for a revision of the terms of the Draft Convention, and called on the organised metal workers of all countries to join in a, united protest against the delay in ratification. : •

I Mr J. T. Brownlje (British section). in moving tho resolution, said that it was urged in some quarters that ratilicatiou would have a deleterious effect on British industry, owing to thr rigidity of tho regulations respecting tho hours to ho worked, hut. only 7.-I per cent, of the workers in' Great Britain worked 'normally for more than j forty-eight hours a week, i Tho Convention made special provii gion for a fifty-six-hour week to be worked in “continuous processes.” it was claimed that Great Britain’s j pre-eminent position with regard to hours of work had been attained by voluntary collective agreements between tho employers and workers, but, said Mr Brownlie, it was not very long ago that tho British Government interfered in ono of tlio basic industries of tho country and. increased the hours of labour by 'legislation. Tho ancient argument of State interference in industry being to tiic detriment of industry is also being used against tho ratification, but the employers forget that while they are using those arguments to obtain their objects so far as human labour power is concerned, they arc at the same time seeking Government aid for tho passing of safeguarding measures.” Mr Brownlie added that undoubtedly tho fate of the Washington Convention rested upon the decisions of the British Government-. , , The-present Government had no perpetual lease of office, and the parly to which ho belonged was confident that at tho next election the colour of the Government would bo radically changed. —‘Daily Herald’ (London). *. ' ah « * r UNIONS AND A.L.B. —Representation at Annual Conference. — Arising out of a demand made at the last New South Wales Annual Labour Conference that trade unions should have the unrestricted right to select their own delegates to attend conference, irrespective of whether they were Communists or not, tho Amalgamated Engineering Union has taken a ballot of all its members in New South Wales on tho question. : The result of tho ballot was: In favour 440, against 848. Reporting tho result of the ballot, the secretary of the Sydney District Political Committee of tho union,.said: “We understand that the A.E.U. is the only union in tho metal trades group that has conducted such ballot. As this question was made a live issue at the Easter Conference, wo consider that oilier unions would also .have to ascertain the views of their members.”— ‘Australian Worker.’