THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 22891, 24 February 1938, Page 21

THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

[By Teade Unionist.] INDUSTRIAL CATASTROPHES. It is sad news that we all received last week-end of the loss of 21 lives of workers at a Public Works camp at Kopuawhara, ‘ North Island, who appeared to have been caught, like the proverbial “ rats in a trap,” with absolutely no chance of escape. The Public Works Department, on one of its works last year in the South Island—viz., Homer tunnel, Hollyford, had an appalling tragedy when an avalanche came down and was responsible for the death o{ at least three workmen ; but on this occasion the death roll is on a par with the numerous mining disasters that used to occur from time to time before we had more rigid inspections and accident prevention laws. Appalling as the accident has been, it could easily have been worse if the victims bad been mostly married men or if it Jjad been a married men’s camp, like several that we are familiar with on the various works under the Public Works Department. Mr Semple, the Minister of Public Works, says; “ It is just one of those terrible happenings which can only bo described as An ‘ act of God,’ and for which no human being is responsible.” I hope the Minister’s conjecture is correct, but this serious loss of life under the circumstances, where most of the men caught seemed l not to have a ghost of a chance of saving themselves, seems extraordinary, and it behoves everybody responsible for the placing of a camp where a large number of men are to be congregated to see that it is pitched on the highest ground possible, even if it means some little expenditure to the department to pay men travelling to and from their work. Our sympathy goes out to those relatives who were unfortunate enough to lose their loved ones so suddenly, and they can depend upon it that whatever reparation it is humanly possible to be made to them will be made. Our sincerest resolution now should be to avoid at all costs a similar happening again. • • . « • “THUGS HIRED TO SMASH UNION.” Accusations that the Ford Motor Company of America hired professional fighters and crooks to beat up trade union members were made in an amazing report published in Washington recently. The report was made by the National Labour Relations Board, set up under the Wagner Labour Act to defend Labour’s right to organise. It concludes with an order to Mr Ford to cease discouraging among _ his employees membership in the United Automobile Worker’s’ Union. And it enjoins him to cease his domination of a puppet “ independent ” union and to reinstate 30 employees dismissed on account of their union activity. Mr Ford is likely to challenge the ruling in the courts. The board alleges (says an exchange) that Ford’s special service department inspired “ unbelievably brutal ” attacks on members of the United Automobile Workers, who were seeking to distribute pamphlets at the gates of the huge River Rouge plant at Dearborn. Simultaneuosly with its accusations comes the news that 300 members of the union have been arrested following a march on the River Rouge plant for the purpose of distributing the union’s newspaper. » * ♦ TO END JAPANESE AGGRESSION. Proposals aimed to end Japanese aggression in China were put forward by the British delegates at a joint meeting of the International Federation of Trade Unions and the Labour and Socialist International, held in Brussels on January 15. The proposals, incorporated in a resolution which is to he.recommended to the national centres, were put before the joint meeting by Sir Walter Citrine, and evoked unanimous approval. They will be discussed in detail at the next joint meeting of the two internationals, to be held as soon as possible. Points in the plan recommended to the internationally organised workers are:—The Labour movements of all countries to bring pressure to bear on their Governments in order to ensure that they fulfil their obligations under the Covenant of the League of Nations, and that they begin to do so at the next meeting of the Council on January 26 by taking the first steps to free China and to restrain Japanese aggression. “ If a unanimous decision at Geneva in this respect cannot he obtained this circumstance must not serve the pacific Powers as a pretext for justifying their own failure to act,” says the resolution. “ They are hy far the more numerous. They have an undoubted superiority of resources. They can force the aggressor to renounce his aggression if they apply sanctions in the proper spirit, and not with the weakness and hesitations of which the Abyssinian affair gave evidence.” The meeting, states the resolution, had before it a detailed plan of sanctions, comprising, especially the withholding of credit, an -embargo on imports from Japan, an embargo on the principal exports to that country, and particularly on mineral oils and other products necessary for war, the international co-ordination of the agreed measures, serious guarantees of mutual assistance in a financial and economic sphere, and eventually in the military sphere. The resolution makes it clear that the measures it recommends are to be regarded as directed not against the Japanese people, but against the ruling caste. • * * * DOMESTIC WORKERS WANT A TRADE UNION. Appalling conditions under which domestic workers too often have to live are revealed in letters to the English Trade Union Congress headquarters, and in statements made by visitors to the stand set up by the T.U.C. at the Domestic Services Exhibition in the Horticultural Hall, Vincent Square, London. Immediately on the announcement in the Press and over the wireless of the T.U.C. campaign to organise domestic workers, letters began to pour in. Not all were complaints. One of the-most encouraging features of the correspondence is the number of letters from those who, while satisfied with their own conditions, are aware of what other workers have to undergo, and are convinced that only through trade union organisation can their conditions be remedied and their status raised. Valets, butlers, footmen, chauffeurgardeners, cook-housekeepers, parlourmaids, kitchenmaids, and cook-generals are among the grades of domestic worker who have visited the T.U.C. stand at the Domestic Services Exhibition, where forms pledging support for a trade union of the domestic workers are available. ' . A parlourmaid who called to fill in the form told of appalling conditions at the house in which she was employed.

One of the staff, a girl of 15, begins work at 6.30 a.m., and often does not finish till midnight. The question of the half-holiday was broached by other girls, who stated that their half-holiday did not begin until after 3.30 p.m., and often it was as late as 4.30 ip.m. before the half-day off began. One Sunday off every fortnight is too frequently the lot of the domestic worker, and even that can be withdrawn at short notice. Frequently, especially in the larger type of houses, a good deal of entertaining takes place, and parties are given that go on as late as 2 a.m. Many of the staff have to be on duty at the completion of the party, and household duties have to be performed before the guests assemble the following morning. A large proportion of the girls in domestic service in London come from distressed areas like South Wales and the north-east, and they are particularly the prey of the bad type of employer. Knowing hardly anyone in London, they are terrified of losing their situations, and the threat of being sent back home in disgrace ” is a weapon which is held over their heads. Not only are the hours of work long, the wages low, and the work exacting, but the living conditions in many cases are bad. Sometimes the bedroom for the domestic worker is either in the attic or in the basement. In the case of chauffeur-gardeners, it is frequently over the garage itself, and petrol fumes and the fear of fire add to the general discomfort. Cases have been brought to the notice of the T.U.C. of girls who sleep in a curtained alcove below the staitre. Most of the kitchens are in the basement, with windows blocked by huge evergreen shrubs and rock borders. Ventilation is not good,, arid the lack of light and air has menacing physical consequences. . , Often domestic workers are compelled to share their sleeping accommodation. A rase which has been reported to the T.U.C. concerns a parlourmaid who is compelled to share her bed with a tubercular girl. It is obvious that nothing but a strong and well-supported trade union can improve conditions for the X.oOU.uUU workers engaged in domestic service in England. * » « • OIL FROM OLD OIL RAGS. According to the ‘ Schlesische Zeitung,’ Breslau (November 7), the “neglected oil rag” has acquired a high industrial importance. In search for oil Goering’s specialists have come across the rennants of oil la used-up oil rags. The annual use of oil rags in Germany amounts to 12 million kilogrammes, valued at from 7 to 10 million reichsmarks, the largest users being the State railways and. the army. By a decree of the Supervisory Committee for wool oil rag users have been obliged to return discarded oil rags to the firms t supplying them or to the rag trade. Thence they are sent to such laundries as have the necessary apparatus to have oil extracted. The annual yield of oil from old oil rags amounts to a million kilogrammes. .• * • f. CHEMICALS AND CLOTHING FROM MARINE VEGETATION. The jubilee conference of the German Chemists’ Association at Frank-fort-on-the-Main brought to light some interesting points about future trends of chemistry. One speaker discussed the possibility of utilising the vegetation at the bottom of the sea. Brown algae, the . most common of seaweeds, contains an acid substance which in his opinion is well suited for application as a dressing in the textile industry,, being about 10 times as effective as starch. The nrm-\ ness of cotton cloth might he considerably increased by its use. He even asserted that it could be used in the manufacture of ice cream. But these algae were also suitable for the manufacture of thread; the spun product would ho easy to work. Naturally there would be obstacles to he surmounted. But the German chemical science might have the greatest confidence in regard to the utilisation of seaweed. Another use proposed was for fodder. It will not be long before we shall find out whether the chemists are on a false tack in fixing on seaweed in their search for new raw materials, or whether the vegetation of the boundless sea bottom can indeed be put to a host of uses. Surprises are by no means out of the question. • * • • ■ UNION OFFICIAL ANSWERS CRITICS. “I conceive it to be my duty, as leader of this great union, that if X can accomplish what the men desire without the loss of a single meal to a single child, then I ought to do so, declared Mr Ernest Bevin, recently. He was replying to critics who, he said, complained because the union did not use the strike weapon sufficiently. , Mr Bevin was speaking at the annual dinner, in London, of "the crane drivers branch of the Transport and General Workers’ Union. He said he was not one of those wno were enamoured of the cheers of crowds in the midst of a strike. What did appeal to him was, week by week, to look upon the steady and consistent measure of accomplishment which was entering into the standard of life of their people. “ The more people, he continued, “ that we can take away from the labour exchanges, feeling that industry is responsible for their security, and that year hy year they can budget for their lives and their homes, the happier I shall be.’ “ People could never understand how such a great variety of industries and occupations could be covered by their union, “ but,” said Mr Bevin, ‘ it works, and I claim without fear of contradiction, that it is the smoothest working union machinery in the world. “ It was assumed that if we built a great union of this character we should lose touch with the menibers and become bureaucratic, but there is more comradeship, we are more closely in touch, and service is more personal, than ever in the history of the movement in this country.” Mr Bevin handed presentation gifts to Mr Arthur Bird, who, after 13 years service as secretary of the crane drivers’ branch, has become full-time official, and to Mrs Bird.