HELPING THE GERMANS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 10112, 20 October 1917, Page 4

HELPING THE GERMANS.

Hut the greatest crime—for these things arc criminal in themselves and j„ their effect upon the public mind—of all mas the refusal of the Sydney Coal Lumpers’ Union to do any coaling ‘‘either oil transports or other vessels,” although thev knew that their refusal would result in the keeping back of reinforcements and supplies for the Australians in the fighting lines. The position, and the result of the men s refusal, was scathingly reviewed by Mr Justice Heydon in the New South Wales Industrial Court on September 10. After pointing out that the Minister for the Navy had made “a very special and peculiar agreement with the Sydney Coal Lumpers’ I mon, so as “to secure guarantees against any delay in the vitally important wharf work of coaling transports and naval cargo ships,” and had formed them, “with their own consent, into a quasi - military body, spoken oi us u battalion; then officials, or some of them, receiving honorary rank in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve.” and recognising them “as soldiers lighting in Australia, and honourably relieved of all pressure to enlist for actual lighting,” Mr Justice Heydon said the men had refused to respond to the call of duty, although they had solemnly pledged themselves to “at all times give the Navy Department first call on their services for coalin<r H.ii A. transports and naval cargo slaps; that they would report at once any improper cessation of work causer delay lit transport coaling to the olileer commanding the battalion; and t h a t the executive of the- muon would also punish men guilty of such improper cessation.” Proceeding, Mr Justice Heydon said thpt in refusing to handle the coal he'-am-se it had boon declared “black,” they were “breaking faith with Australia and the Empire, and with the boys at the front who were lighting their battles,” and were tearini'- away Australia’s shield so that the Germans might stab her.” The ends they were seeking were “not such as to justify their shaking hands with the German ’ Emperor and murderer, any more than the desire of the coalminers of Australia for an interpretation of eight hours which made it less than eight hours, and for conditions which put 3s extra on to the price of coal, justified their refusal - to protide coal for trans-ports. In both cases it seems to come clown to ‘Mo’ll have what we want and Australia can go hang. Severe as these remarks seem, the events of the past eleven w-eeks during which the strike folly lasted more than justified them. The distress and poverty occasioned by the strike is appalling in its extent, and the loss to both the workers and the employers may bo ganged bv the fact that, in New South Wales alone, the State revenue was more than half a million under the corresponding total lor 1916.