THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 23353, 24 August 1939, Page 16

THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

[By Teadk Unionist.)

NEW INDUSTRIES IN THE DOMINION.

“Necessity is the mother of invention,’’ and there is no doubt that this applies to several new industries established in the Dominion recently. The Government’s new policy of restricted imports lias no doubt been responsible for much of this activity at the present time, and it was a fact that before the_ advent of the restrictions long-established local industries were getting a “ boost ’’ by the amalgamation of English interests manufacturing the same class of goods. I refer principally to the confectionery, soap, and gas stove industries. This naturally restricted imports, and one can only conclude that the incentive was to avoid the high tariffs charged on the imported. manufactured goods. I could never understand why this movement did not take place years ago; it was all for our own good and a real solution for the unemployment problem. _ We have been told that New Zealand is essentially a primary producing country, and possibly we overlooked,the fact that all New Zealanders did not want to be farmers. The workers are now beginning to understand that New Zealand secondary industries are entitled to the best of their support, and though several new industries have started there is scope for many more yet. One has only to look around at the everyday work things, such as machinery used in most production. We are now producing onr own locomotives, and surely this is a complicated enough machine. Why cannot we manufacture motor cars, typewriters, and the multiplicity of other machines we import, sending rtioney out of the country to purchase them ? I. am hoping that these import restrictions will prompt the development in New Zealand of many more new industries. • « • • NEW ZEALAND FEDERATION OF LABOUR. Important issues affecting wageworkers were under consideration at the National Council meeting of the New Zealand Federation of Labour at Wellington on July 12, 13, and 14, says a Wellington trade union publication. The principal items to be taken up with the Minister of Labour and submitted to Cabinet with a view to legislation being passed as soon as possible were: A Holiday With Pay Bill; an Apprenticeship Act, making provision for Dominion apprenticeship orders to be administered by local committees in each industry; a Court of Arbitration presided over by a layman and a Workers' Compensation Court presided over by a judge; the consolidation of the I.C. and A. Act, the Shops and Offices Act, and the Factories Act, with a number of amendments; the defence of New Zealand and immigration; an amendment to the Rent Restrictions Act aiming at an extension to cover flats, boarding houses, etc.; and the practice of some bakers in producing light-weight bread. The questions of an information bureau, disputes between unions, and the formation of national unions and other problems affecting the internal administration of the highest body of the trade union movement were given consideration and direction. Some Otago unions wore the subject of considterable criticism as the result of their refusal to take part in secret ballots for the formation of national unions. ■ * » • * BAKERS WANT BAN ON NIGHT WORK. Under the auspices of the Food and Drink Workers’ International an International Bakery Workers’ Conference was held at Zurich on June 17 to discuss the evil of night baking. Discussion on the subject proved very fruitful. The conference listened with particular interest to the Chilean delegate’s account of how the ban operated in Chile, which ratified the Geneva Convention, in 1933. With a six-hour working period and three shifts as the system in force, the ban is being relatively well observed. Hitherto the Food Workers’ Internatipnal has stood firm for no start before 5 a.m., but in order to make it easier for the unions to work for a ratification of the Geneva Convention in their particular country it was decided that they should be allowed a certain amount of latitude on this question, always provided that any departure from the principle of the 3 a.m. start as the earliest admissible were kept within the limits prescribed by the convention. (This latter permits an earlier start, provided there is agreement between master and man.); The ratification of the Geneva Convention once secured, the unions were then to go on to work for a start, no earlier than 5 a.m. at the outside. , There were 23 delegates at -the conference from Belgium. Chile, Dejimark. Britain, France. Holland, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. * * * * WORLD TRADE UNIONISM. Peace can still be saved by resolute action on the part of the peace-loving democracies, declared Sir Walter, Citvine in his presidential address at the triennial congress of the International Federation of Trade Unions held in Zurich, Switzerland, recently. Features of Sir Walter’s address were his disclosures of. the steady advance ox world trade unionism, despite all the dangers and difficulties of the times, in number and influence, and his striking analysis of the present situation of ■ world politics. The following is a summary of a speech which attracted wide attention from the Press of the worlds “ Conditions have changed greatly since our congress met on a previous occasion in Zurich, 26 years ago. 1 need not recite to you the tale of events already painfully familiar. Of some of these events this congress will take account. Our wannest fraternal greetings will go from this assembly to onr comrades who fought and suffered in the heroic struggle of the Spanish Republic. Overwhelmed by superior forces which were stiengthened by foreign arms, the republic has gone down, clesptie all the sacrifices made and all the efforts put forth by our international movement to assist its defence. „ , ~ “ Against what powerful forces the Republican militia had to contend wg now know from the admission of their Fascist enemies. The heads of both the totalitarian States have revealed the extent of the armed assistance they gave to the rebel cause. “ Had the democratic Powers been as active in their support of the Republican Government in its defence of democracy as the Fascist States in their support of reaction, the trend of European history would have been different. But in spite of all this, in Spain, as in Czecho-Slovakia, China, and other countries where_ freedom seems to have perished or is endangered. the eternal struggle will be renewed—nob by surrender of the principles on which our emancipating movement was founded, not by capitulations mid concessions to the forces of reaction. but by sustained and resolute resistance and the building up of a tirongef and more widespread qrgamsa-

tion of the workers, imbued with a clearer vision and a firmer purpose to achieve the political aud economic conditions within which peace can be attained in a community of free nations. “ We do not under-estimate the magnitude of our task. The circumstances of the time tel! against us. The world is in the grip of a, war neurosis. Statesmanship seems to be consecrated in nearly every country to the organisation of national resources for war.

“ Responsibility for this lies plainly arjd indisputably upon the leaders of Nazi Germany. No worse perversion of the truth was ever attempted than the effort of the Nazi propaganda machine to convince the German people that they are surrounded by bloodthirsty enemies seeking a pretext to attack their country. The ‘ encirclement ’ myth is utterly untrue. It is a grotesque travesty of the truth. “ The union of the peace-seeking nations is not an encirclement of Germany, but a shield and bulwark for democracy and - freedom against the avowed and inveterate enemies of both, against the philosophy of violence and the power politics preached and practised alike by the Nazi and Fascist dictators.

“ One paramount aspect of our task is to use the utmost influence of our movement to assist in the recreation of a genuine peace front. There are many facets of this effort upon which time will not permit me to dwell. But I must emphasise particularly the importance we attach to the co-operation aud collaboration of the Union of Soviet Republics in the establishment of a firm alliance of the peace-seeking nations. It is not only essential to have the Soviet Union with us in building up an unbreakable front against aggression, and to assist in the defence of every threatened nation exposed to imminent invasion and conquest. Russia’s help is necessary, too, in the accomplishment of the fundamental aim of organising the life of the world for peace, for disarmament, aud the improvement of social and industrial standards in all countries, by measure of international co-operation. “ Those statesmen, those spokesmen of our trade union and Labour movement, who have pleaded for an international conference on the problems of colonial territory, open markets, and free commercial intercourse, rightly interpret, in my view, the sentiments of their people Repeatedly our organised movement has emphasised the necessity of dealing constructively with the problem of colonial territory, access to raw materials, and open markets. We have urged that the principle of equality of economic opportunity must be recognised and applied in. the solution of this problem. But we have also insisted that such a solution is possible only when there are positive guarantees' 1 and safeguards which will ensure that the raw material resources will bo utilised, uot for war, but exclusively for the purposes and usages of peace. There can be no concessions to Germany’s colonial claims which expose the undeveloped areas and people to exploitation and oppression aud seek to utilise such resources for war. “ Not less serious, but even more complicated, will be the problems that are bound to arise if and when the dying down of war fever brings about a reversion of the national economy from a war footing to a peace basis. Under the stimulus of armament expenditure, industry and trade seem to have been temporarily dragged out of the recession phase into which they entered shortly after our last congiess. The downswing of the trade cycle has been to all appearances arrested. But the seeming flush of vitality is hectic and unhealthy, like that of a tuberculosis patient whose life-tissue is being wasteu by disease. “ Civilised society is indeed being wasted by a diseae. We call it fascism. Growing by what is feeds upon, and with its appetite whetted by concessions made to it, Fascism becomes ever' more arrogant and insatiable. It represents a mortal danger to the life of Europe and the peace of the world. Because of it the financial and material resources of the present are being swallowed up and the future mortgaged in every country in the world. Nevertheless, by better conceived and more courageous measures the peace front which is now being formed can still save peace. By proclaiming its resolute determination to resist aggression, but at the same time to open wide the door to negotiation upon every just and reasonable claim, a union of peaceseeking nations can save peace.”— ‘ Industrial News.’ » * * * HOLIDAYS FOR TRADE UNIONISTS. The idea of a joint trades union congress—Workers’ Travel Association holding company, in which trade unions could invest money for the purpose of extending holiday accommodation, is under consideration by unions affiliated to the English Trade Union Congress. Careful consideration has been given to the whole question of holiday accommodation by the English Trade Union Congress General Council, which has taken into account the increased demand likely to arise from the extension of the paid holiday. One aspect of the problem which the General Council has had in mind is the danger of the commercial exploitation of workers on holiday. The W.T.A. was called into consultation as the organisation with the most extensive experience of providing for workers’ holidays. It is suggested in a W.T.A. memorandum that the unions might provide money to acquire guest houses on the lines of the W.T.A. permanent centres, or might finance the creation of holiday camps. The view is that there is a large enough field for both lines of development. Certainly there is room for many more permanent centres than the W.T.A. is now able to run. One aim would be to bring costs down to a more economical level; The T.U.C. would like to see a maximum of 50s a week, or even 43s a week. Permanent centres of the kind likely to be favoured by the T.U.C. should include some in' close proximity to the more popular resorts. Propaganda and publicity among the unions in favour of the centres'would be needed to assure tboir success. It is suggested that active support should be given to the movement to spread holidays over a period longer than duly and August, the two peak months. To maintain comparatively low prices the centres would need to be filled to capacity for a minimum of 16 weeks in the year, and should be closed down entirely during the winter.