BRITISH LABOUR POLICY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17880, 7 September 1921, Page 7

BRITISH LABOUR POLICY.

MODERATION RETURNING.

LESSONS OF RECENT STRIKES.

REVOLUTION REPUDIATED.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. A. LONDON. S«pt. 5. Mr. E. Poulton, president of the Trades Union Congress, in his opening address at Cardiff, declared against revolution by force. During last year, he said, the industrial maelstrom had left people apathetic. They must combat this by a vigorous attack, aimed at the abolition of the present conditions by overthrowing' the capitalistic system and substituting the' socialistic system by ©volution, not revo-1 lntion. The movement was suffering from thej old evil of division, but they were going : to be audacious in their demands, and '■ by political and industrial action make j the land fit for heroes to live in. j The atmosphere of the congress is very | different from that of recent congresses, I and there is no sign of a repetition of' the wild attempts to stampede British trades unionism into a revolutionary policy. The 800 delegates, representing 6,500,000 trades unionists, seem to wish to pat a seal upon, a constructive programme. A lively episode occurred later this afternoon, when a deputation of unemployed addressed the congress and occasioned considerable uproar. The deputation demanded that the Cabinet be invited immediately to settle the unemployment problem. If work could not be given to unemployed, they demanded full maintenance, which meant the same amount as they would have earned if working, even if that involved 40s a week above the 1 existing allowances. I The discussion ended in the congress deciding to take a collection on behalf of the unemployed. It will debate unemploy-1 ment on Thursday. ! The congress passed a resolution in I favour of demanding from the Government j maternity pensions on the principle of the! American schemes.

POPLAR COUNCIL ARRESTS.

WOMEN MEMBERS INCLUDED. A. and N.Z. LONDON, Sept. 5. Five women councillors of Poplar were arrested to-day amid scenes of great excitement.

Mrs. George Lansbury and another woman member were apprehended during a demonstration at the Town Hall, after which they joined a big procession headed by bands and banners, which marched to the house of Mrs. Scurr, who was also arrested.

The procession, including the five arrested women, returned to the Town Hall, where they were handed over to the sheriff's officer and motored away. Prior to the arrest Mrs. Lansbury addressed a violent letter to the Home Secretary accusing him of starving her husband and mother-in-law mentally and physically in gaol for the purpose of satisfying political spite.

WOOLWICH UNEMPLOYED.

AN OFFER RECOMMENDED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reod. 11.30 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 5. The leaders of the Woolwich unemployed recommend the rank and file to accept the guardians' offer of a maximum of 60s a week for a family. LABOUR-SAVING DEVICE. UNION'S BAN REMOVED. (Received 11.30 p-m.) United Service. LONDON, Sept. S. A labour-savin 2 device, known as a burner, was recently introduced in ship repairing yards on the Mersey. It only requires two men to work it, but the Boilermakers' Society has hitherto insisted that it should not be used unless 25 men were employed on it. The employers hiive now received notice that the restriction has been abolished.