MR LEWIN’S RETIREMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 22619, 10 April 1937, Page 22

MR LEWIN’S RETIREMENT.

TO TIXE EDITOR. , Sir, —It is somewhat of a paradox to bear Labour councillors speaking in terms of praise of a gentleman who is a sworn enemy of Labour’s policy. That the Government has also honoured a foe by giving him a place and position is also rather humorous. With all duo respect to the fact that Mr Lcwin has been a good servant to his own class, it should bo recognised that as he is a member of an old school of thought his retirement was long overdue, and from the workers’ point of view is most welcome. It stands to reason that a Labour council’s policy will not be developed while a town hall official assumes the role of a civic dictator, it is an open question who governs our civic affairs, the Labour council or Tory town hall officials. The gestures of the workers’ representatives toward the sworn enemies of the worker should cause grave concern. There should and must be Labour representatives whose chief concern is to better conditions for workers, it is useless to grant the worker a little extra one day and grant the employer a permit to fl'joco him the next. The employment of aged men and women who have sufficient to retire upon whilo younger are available is inconsistent with the professed anxiety to solve unemployment, as is also the placing of superannuated men in further jobs, which is quite a common practice. The initial purpose of the forty-hour week, which was to solve unemployment, has been defeated, and we still have the spectacle of under-supplied people in a land of plenty. Mr Lewin has still to make farewell speeches. Will he tell us why he opposed the payment of overtime to street sweepers?—l am, etc., G. A. Herring.

April 10. [There arc no “ sworn enemies of the workers.” If there were, the proper place for them would be in mental hospitals. Cr Silverstonc has said that Mr Lowin “was an. ideal civil servant in that he carried out his duties irrespective of the political views of the council. Mr Lewin had done much for the city.”—Ed. E.S.]