DARK CLOUDS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 19 February 1931, Page 5

DARK CLOUDS.

HUSH BEFORE GREAT TRAGEDY QUARTERrMILLION AUSTRALIANS FACING STARVATION. STATEMENT BY T.U.O. PRESIDENT SYDNEY,, This Day. Addressing the Congress of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, the president, Mr Duggan, said that they had met in a hush that foretold a great tragedy. A quarter of a million Australians were on the verge of starvation, and many more in danger of being crushed by the weight and poAver of the machinery they themselves had created. The Press, pulpit, and Courts denied men a decent standard of living, and forced them to endure many tortures. They looked to Labour to regain for them their lost employment and standard of living. ADVOCACY OF GENERAL STRIKE. DISORDERLY SCENES, BUT NO DECISION. (By Telegraph-Press Assn.-Copyright.) (Received This Day, 1.10 a.m.) SYDNEY, Feb. 18. ■ The militant section of the Australian Council of Trade Unions Congress, sitting a’t Sydney to-day, submitted a recommendation for a general strike beginning on February 25th. An attempt was made to pack the meeting and fights occurred with the doorkeeper. Disorderly scenes were enacted at various stages of the proceedings, but no decision was reached. Mr J. S. Garden was the most prominent advocate for a strike. ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS. SHORTER WORKING WEEK AND FORMER WAGES. REMOVING THE ONUS FROM MR LANG. (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) SYDNEY, Tliis Day. Mr J. S. Jarden's amendments to the general strike proposals moved by Mr Chapman, of the N.S.W. Railways Union, comprised the appointment of a committee of four to place before the Federal and State Governments immediately the following demands: — (1) A shorter working week. (2) Restoration of ten per cent, reduction of wages in certain awards recently ordered by the Arbitration Court. (3) An assurance that there would be no reduction of old age, infirmity' 1 , invalid or Avar pensions. (4) Provision for food, clothing and shelter for unemployment Avorkers in accordance Avith the standard of the Harvester judgment. Mr Jarden stated that Mr Lang had appealed to him to furnish a statement] of what the Avorkers demanded, and j had given an assurance that he intended to see the demands granted. Mr Jarden added that, from previous experience, he and certain Federal politicians Avould again procrastinate, so he moved the amendments formally, to throAv the onus on the Federal Ministry. Personally he favoured a general strike. “STATE OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY.” PROPOSED REQUEST TO FEDERAL AUTHORITIES. (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. Senator Rae has remitted to the Federal Labour Caucus a motion that the Government declare a state of national emergency. A decision is lexpected to-day.