COAL MINERS, TOO

Evening Star, Issue 25084, 27 January 1944, Page 4

COAL MINERS, TOO

MR CURTIK APPALLED CANBERRA, January 26. "'I-am appalled at the maltreatment of the war effort on this Australia Day by Australian workers who have put their own grievances on higher priority than the services which are essential to maintain the fighting man at the front." In making this statement today, Mr Curtin was referring to the transport. hold-up in Sydney and Newcastle, and ■to the fact that 21 coal mines were idle. The Prime Miuister added that the striking transport workers and miners would be prosecuted, and if they were convicted their wages would be garnished. "I know that certain workers have been working under strain, but neither this nor any other Government at the present stage of the war can reduce tho strength of the army to meet all the demands that various groups of industry have for man power. It staggers me that men in the metropolitan transport system should have decided not to observe the Government's direction to resume work. This is lawlessness naked and unashamed. Their action provides no remedy for their disabilities, but in effect means that they present an ultimatum to the Government as if they were as much the enemies of the Australian nation as those who have organised force majeure against it and against whose aggression this nation has pledged itself irrevocably. "This is true, too, of the coal miners who are not working," said Mr Curtin. "Some of the reasons why these mines are idle are without any semblance of justification. The Government has done its best to provide reasonable relief for all sections of the public, but the situation that confronts me to-day is one in which T have either to subordinate the interests of the war to the claims of pressure groups or take the requisite steps to cliange this' present deplorable situation. One thing at least is_ clear—■ the Government, having applied the law, will'enforce it, and if it cannot enforce it, then it ceases to be the kind of Government the people of this country could respect, and. being unable to respect, should no longer tolerate."