ADMISSION OF DEFEAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19148, 14 October 1925, Page 11

ADMISSION OF DEFEAT.

SEAMEN'S STB IKE (TVEE. GALLED OFF AT ALL PORTS. MORTIFIED COMMUNISTS. SIIIN WELL FACES STORM. TAILOR OUT OF ELEMENT. B-rr Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received 9.5 p.m.) A. and X.Z.—Reuter. LONDON. Oct. l.'l. The seamen's strike lias Decn called oft at ul! ports. The Daily Express says the following i-ablfgram has been despatched to the ports affected: "Advise seamen to return to their ships. The strike at all ports has been called off." fhe mess-nee. was signed by Mr. Cannon, secretary of the Marine Workers' Union. The president, of the Marine Workers' Union. Mr. E. Shin well, announced yesterday that the seamen at all ports except London had decided to terminate the strike immediately. The president of the British Sailors' and Firemen's Union, Mr. Havelock WilM>n, reports that the strikers are returning to the union in thousands. Many are raving their arrears of subscriptions. Some light is thrown on this sudden collapse of the strike by an official statement issued by the British Sailors' and Firemen's Union, based on shorthand notes which were taken at heated strike meetings which were held on Sunday at Canning Town and Poplar. Both were fiascos. The principal speaker among the unofficial strikers at Canning Town was George Hardy, an American Communist leader. He said he was prepared to carry on the strike, but owing to hostility he refrained from taking a vote. Speaking to the marine workers at Poplar, Mr. Shin well said he had visited Glasgow, the north-east ports, Liverpool and Southampton and had found not the slightest semblance of a strike. So far as he was concerned the strike was finished. Great disorder followed.. Members of the audience bitterly attacked Mr. Shinwell. who was taunted with being a tailor, not a sailor. He admitted he was not a seaman, on which lie had to list-en to some blunt criticism, quite reminiscent of the forecastle. The chairman, Mr. Warren, was unable to restore order and the meeting ended in turmoil. Another report states that- before the. meeting closed the strikers carried a lesolution to the effect that the strike should onlv be ended on the understanding that steps should be taken to organise the National Maritime Board for the purpose of securing the- effective representation ot all the seamen's unions. Should these conditions not be accepted they pronose to call a national conference.

END IN SOUTH AFRICA. WHY THE STRIKE FAILED. SEAMEN'S PLACES FILLED. A. and N.Z. CAPETOWN. Oct. 12. The action of the Durban strike committee in calling the. seamen's strike off little more '.hart a formality so far as South Africa is concerned. There was no possibility of its successful continuation. and undoubtedly the strike would never have lasted so long but for the support of the trades r.nions and the Labour Party, and the weak policy of the Government. What contributed most to the failure of the strike was the action of the Union Castle Company'in manning its ships with South African crews. This unexpected move proved so effective as to render the eventual success of the strike hopeless. The terms upon which the strikers are said to have abandoned the strike could have been obtained at any time. Several of the strikers are endeavouring to obtain employment in this country. Ail the strikers who were in gaol at Durban have been discharged. The position at Capetown is peculiar. Several hundred strikers arc in a camp at Wynberg, but there are no idle ships in port. It is understood thai, the shipowners are willing to agree to the terms submitted to the recent ballot in Durban, bnt. even there, the situation is very uncertain. Evidently considerable difference of opinion exists, both among the strikers and among Labour men who are advising them, but it may be taken for granted that no life is left- in the strike. The departure of the Ballarat- two nights wgo with a new crcv, alter six weeks detention, has ended the strike :-o far as Capetown is concerned.