INDUSTRIAL PEACE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19486, 16 November 1926, Page 13

INDUSTRIAL PEACE.

MR. J. H. THOMAS' APPEAL. POSITION OF THE RAILWAYS, [FROM OTJE OWN COB,SESPONPE»T.iI LONDON, Oat. 0. Mr. J. H. Thomas, MP.* accompanied Sir Josiah Stamp, president of the executive of'the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, and other railway and trade anion officials at a mass meeting ol failway workers and their families near Manchester. The occasion was a carnival celebration promoted by the Railway Film Association, which, it was stated, had been formed to prepare and show all over tha globe "a film of the finest body of men working the finest railways in the world." Mr. Thomas made an eloquent appeal for goodwill in the railway ' service. "What the end of the present industrial conflict is going to be I do not know," he said; "but I do know that the country ad a whole will emerge from it battered, bruised and damaged. lam certain that there will be a lot of repairs required when it is over, I am certain that the railways will have to face a very difficult, trying and anxious period, as they are indeed doing to-day, and I hope the presence of trade union officials with the general managers and officials of the railway companies will not be mistaken, and will not be taken as an indication of either one of the parties abandoning any of their rights, privileges or responsibilities, bnt as an indication to the rank and file that in the spirit of goodwill, give and take, co-operation and a determination to do their best—in that spirit alone will we pull through the difficulties we are passing today." Mr. Thomas said the railway service was that day demonstrating that their attitude of readiness to maintain theif rights, fight for improved conditions and demand a high standard of living for the men and their wives was not inconsistent with co-operation, goodwill and understanding with those at the top. It was quite possible that the foreigner, who would never understand the mentality of our people would, in reading of that demonstration, think of wicked trade union officials standing side by side on the platform with railway managers, surfounded by raiiwavmen and their wives, but that was the best evidence that there was no need and no possibility of a revolution in this country.