Union tyrannies And Black Magic

Northern Advocate, 20 July 1949, Page 6

Union tyrannies And Black Magic

SYDNEY, Wed. (2 p.m.;.— Despite ‘he refusal by the Federal Council of the Waterside Workers’ Federation ' •

lift the ban on the freighter Haligonian Duke Victorian watersiders a- ■<? now expected to agree to the unloading of 6700 tons of coal from the vessel, which has lain at a Melbourne wharf since February 22.

“The whole incident is a humiliating reminder of how close to the black magic of primitive communities our union tyrannies have brought us,” comments the Sydney Morning Herald. “A medicine man of a union 6000 n 'es across the Pacific in a tribal war against another organisation points to the bone at the Halivonian Duke. “SMOKE AND SIGNAL”

“The decision is conveyed, probably by a smoke signal, to a medicine man in Melbourne, who promptly utters incantations over the unlucky ship. “The Haligonian Duke is an instrument of the devil, coal is the product of the capitalist underworld—and who wants to work anyhow? “In this highly formalised summing up of the situation he is aided and abetted by the medicine men of at least six other union tribes.

“For over four months nobody has thought it worth inquiring whether the original bone pointer had any authority to point at all, or, if he had, whether he had pointed in the right direction.”