THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 23123, 24 November 1938, Page 21

THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

[By Tit.iui? Unionist.] LEISURE TIMES. The 40-hour week legislation intro dueed by the Government during th( last session has given to the worker; in many industries in New Zealanc move leisure time, and many of us arc beginning to wonder if a number of th< workers who are enjoying such shortei hours are utilising this additional leis urc to the best advantage. Many o: us did hope that when the Hon. \\ Parrv got his Physical Welfare anc (Recreation Hill through Parliament much activity would have immediately occurred to organise such programme; for young people who would be pre pared to participate in them, but s< far we have heard of nothing of importance being done in this direction The Y.M.C.A. are to be commendec for the work they are doing in sonn of the Public Works en mips, where thej have suitable men stationed to organist sports and physical culture pro grammes, along with their other duties The writer is not aware of any or gauisation being done in the northeri centres to cater for sports functions There is certainly not very much beinj: done in Punedin apart from that bent carried out by the ordinary sports club: already in existence. The Physical Welfare and Recreatior Act so far seems to be a dead letter and as tho summer months arc no« "well advanced we were hoping that th« committee appointed by the Ministei under this Act would have ere this pro : moted clubs whereby the workers conic have become interested and particl patcd in the pastimes that could easiUj be organised with the assistance thai would be given as provided by the Act • • • • PLIGHT OF THE GERMAN WORKERS. Widespread unrest among German workers, .whose conditions grow daily worse under the oppressive regime ol Hitler and his associates, is reported ir the information service of the German trade unions, published as a supplement to the bulletin of the International Federation of Trade Unions. Considerable sections of the populace which prior to 1933_ were pro-Nazi are now completely dissillusioned, and share with their fellow workers a deep hatred of the regime. All kinds of [privileges were promised them by Hitiler before his accession to power. None of those promises has been fulfilled. Conditions nro particularly bad in Western Germany, where masses of workers have been virtually pressed into the task of building fortifications. Piscontent is rife, not only among the in this district, but among the soldiers billeted on the civil populations. Workers who protest against the low wages, long hours (sometimes as much as 120 hours a week), and bad conditions are treated as " oneniies of the nation.'' The lengthening of heilrs is universal through Germany and is part of a general" speeding up," Which has resulted in a wholesale exploitation of the workers. A working week of from GO to 96 hours is now the rule rather than the exception. Even 100-iper-cent. Nazis are _ depressed by the bad conditions which prevail and by the dread that Hitler is leading Germany into a war of aggression. • • • • THE POORER WHO PIP THE RIGHT THING. Eleven years ago a London docker was struck in the back by a bag of coffee. He reported the accident, but as the injury appeared to be slight he resumed work. Four years ago his back became so painful that he was unable to continue his work. An x-ray examination t revealed rigidity of the spine. His union, to whom he had reported the incident, put forward in liis behalf a claim to full compensation. The best offer obtainable was £SOO. Although this was obviously inadequate, nothing more could be done, as injured workmen, in the present anomalous state of the luw, have no legal right to a lump sum settlement. The case came before the Bow County Court, and the settlement was declared to be inadequate Finally the Port of London Authority increased the offer to £750. In approving this award, the judge expressed his sincere thanks to the union for their assistance in dealing with a difficult case. Puring the whole period of negotiations the weekly compensation was maintained. This amounted to £352 15s so the tot.il comneflsation received was more than £1,100.., Here is the moral. This worker had a trade union to stand by him. Hp took care to report his accident, slight though it seemed to be at the time, and so was able to benefit by the expert advice available to the union.—' Industrial News.' • • • * FRENCH LEFT TO PISCUSS SPLIT. Since the breaking up of the Popular Front over the Czech peace plan, the French Left Wing has found further problems. To deal with the cleavage within the Socialist Party, a special Christmas congress has been called. At a meeting of the executive, one section endorsed the Government's foreign policy, while the other deplored it. The French T.U.C. has a similar problem to face on November 14. For many months there has been profound disagreement between the Communist and the orthodox elements in the unions. The Orthodox Party is determined tc secure the Trade Union Movement from political interference by the Communist Party. It is equally determined that the workers shall not be involved in a war for which they are not responsible. The Communists section, which has lost much ground to the orthodox members, is described by its opponents as the " War Party." « * * » MASS " SPY TRIAL " IN SPAIN. The trial opened in Barcelona recently before tho Central Tribunal of nine leaders of the so-called '' Trotskyist Spanish P.O.TJ.M." (Unified Marxist Workers' Party) on charges of espionage and high treason. It was expected to continue for five days. The prosecution claimed that the P.O.U.M. Battalion deserted the Huesca front in 1937, and committed outrages in Aragon villages behind the lines, and conducted Trotskyist propaganda against the Government by leaflets and their newspaper, 'La Batalla.' It was further alleged that a. Fascist organisation discovered in Madrid involved tho P.O.U.M. by the finding of a plan giving Government troop positions and information for the Nationalists, written in invisible ink. Other documents were said to reveal that the P.O.U.M. was prep/irina insurrections in Government Sp:n'n s The P.O.U.M. was also alleged to have participated in the Bnrr-e----lin.i rising in May. 1937. Among the accused were the party's official secretary and leader. Andres Nin. the propniranda secretary, Enrique Andrnher. the editor of' ' La Batalla.' .Lilian Gomez, and the chief of the 29th Pivision, Jose Rovira.

FRENCH T.U.C. SPLIT. When the debate in the National Council in the French T.U.C. was resumed recently it was clear that all had become conscious of the very serious danger of a split in the French Trade Union Movement. Although speakers in the two camps continued to champion their respective causes—peace at any price, and war on dictatorships—there was evidently a new anxiety. Almost without exception, speakers prefaced their remarks with a statement on the vital necessity of avoiding a complete split in the Trade Union Movement at the Nantes Congress. There were hints on both sides that a compromise viewpoint might be found, or that, at least, the question of foreign policy might be pushed into the background. The note was struck by Leon Jouhaux, general secretary of the T.U.C.,in the first important announcement that he has made since he returned from America. “If the Movement does not manage to find complete unity again,” he said, “ it will be impossible for it to surmount the dangers of the national and international situation, and a great part of the social reforms, and principally the 40-hour week, will be imperilled.” Later he said: “ We must throw out the intervention in our movement of outside groups, whatever they may be. The most powerful source of outside intervention is, of course, the Communist Party. • • * • JOB TURNS THEM GREY. The claim that furniture polishing causes one’s hair to become grey is made by workers at Wycombe, the Buckinghamshire furniture centre. Polishers find that where peroxide is largely used in producing colour effects on the furniture, their hair first becomes ginger and then grey. Mr C. F. Hawkins, district organiser of the Furnishing Trades Association, suggests that this is a matter for compensation. “ For,” he says, “ being grey is a serious disability for one seeking work in furniture factories.” > • • « UNION NURSE LOST RANK. HAD PAY CUT. Allegations that a sister at Swansea Hospital, England, had been de-graded by the hospital authorities in an effort to stop the development of trade unionism at the institution were made at a recent special meeting of Swansea area hospital works governors. It was unanimously decided to demand an investigation, at which the sister and her advocate were to be present, and to enlist the support of the whole Trade Union Movement of the town, the Swansea Labour Association and Swansea Borough Council. The sister concerned had been employed at the hospital for 12 years, and the alleged de-grading, it was claimed, would mean loss not only of status, but of £3O a year salary. Mr T. O. Morgan, national vicechairman of the Guild of Nurses, of which the sister is a member, said the charges of incompetence made against the sister had been withdrawn, yet she bad been refused the right of appeal. “ This case is the start of a movement to try to stop the development of trade unionism at the hospital,” he declared. Following complaints against the sister, she was allowed to appear before a subcommittee, but without an advocate. The governors declared they believed nu injustice bad been done.