MARCH OF THE BLIND MEN

Northern Advocate, 8 June 1936, Page 7

MARCH OF THE BLIND MEN

TRIP THROUGH LONDON TO END STRIKE One of the most pathetic processions London has ever witnessed marched through the streets from Peckham to Pimlico recently. It was composed of 40 blind men who have been on strike at a basket works of the London Association for the Blind for over a week. They formed up arm in arm in Peckham road, and led by some comrades who could see, walked briskly along the busy streets, tapping the roadway with their" white sticks.

Their pilgrimage to Pimlico, the headquarters of the Association, was successful. Idle Through Fire. The trouble arose from a fire in the basket works which made it necessary to stand off about half of the men for an indefinite period. They objected to the suggestion that they should go oh the dole, claiming that their benefit should be made up out of the benevolent funds to the 1 level of their earnings. After a friendly discussion the men agreed to a settlement. They are to receive full pay for the first week of unemployment, and unemployment pay plus 15/ for every other week they are idle. It was the cheeriest wage dispute that has ever taken place and the men all expect to be back at work in two or three weeks. All the strikers except one took part in the march. “But,” one of the blind men told me, “don’t run away with the idea that he has deserted us. You see. he got married on Good Friday and he is away on his honeymoon.”