“TO THE LAST GASP”

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12195, 21 July 1925, Page 5

“TO THE LAST GASP”

MINERS RESIST WAGES CUT ALLIANCE OF UNIONS PLANNED “FOR MUTUAL AID” By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received July 20, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, July 19. Speaking at Bromley in the course of a demonstration by locomotive engineers, Mr Matlock said: ‘ ‘The capitalist system, is crumbling before your eyes. It is in its death throes. The capitalists have ruined Europe. They are not prepared to pay. It is necessary to stand firmly against any reduction in wages. Bold out to the last gasp.” Mr C. T. Cramp, industrial secretary, of the union, speaking at Sheffield, referring to the proposed industrial allianoe, said: “There must be no repetition of ‘Black Friday.’ There is no lath and plaster in the alliance, but there is complete harmony and joint working between the different unions.” CONFERENCE NOT UNANIMOUS A conference of trade unions in London, held to oonsider a constitution for

❖«❖*❖*❖*❖»❖»❖*❖*❖*❖* the proposed alliance of miners, railwayman, engineers, and transporters, comprising more than 5,000,000 workers, for mutual aid, and more particularly for 1 the support of the miners in the present dispute, was by no means unanimous, and did not approve the constitution. According to the “Daily Herald,” it resolved 'to reootnmend individual executives to consider it, and report to another conference in the near future. The “Daily Express” asserts that critics riddled , the draft of the constitution, one clause of which provided for a directing committee, to have power to call out all unions without reference to the individual unions. This was regarded as opening jip dangerous possibilities. It was also held that the constitution trenched upon the functions vested in the Trades Union Congress. CANNOT BENEFIT MINERS The decision means that the project will be seriously delayed. Mr J. It. Clynee remarked that it cannot he ready in time for the miners’ dispute. Mr A. J. Cook, the Miners’ Fedoration secretary, is spending the week-end in preparing the miners’* oase for _ a special meeting of the Trade Union’ Congress in London on Friday. While it is agreed that the industrial alliance cannot he created in time to help the miners next month, plans are being prepared 'by which a union can ballot its members quickly on the question of supporting the miners by means of embargoes on the handling of coal, establishing/a fighting fund, and by other means. “BOTH MEN AND EMPLOYERS ARE RIGHT” The coal deadlock continues. The Government Court of Inquiry will resume on Monday, but the minert will not be represented. Sir L. Worthington Evans, speaking at Dunmow, said: “The difficulty of the position is that both the men and the employers are right. What is wrqng is the world price of ooal.” Mr J. H. Thomas, speaking at Bakewell, in Derbyshire, on Saturday, said: “Things have never looked blacker. You cannot expect to find oontentment when workmen are denied a living wage.” J. H. THOMAS PLEADS FOB PEACH!:. . fSydnev "Sun" Cable.) (Beoeived, July 20, -7.5 p.m.) Mr Thomas, speaking at Birmingham, pointed out that 200,000 unemployed miners probably never would be re-engaged in the mines, owing to oil supplanting coal. He pleaded with the owners and men to confer, to avoid a long, i bitter struggle. Mining conditions were scandalous. The owners could hot have been more provocative if they had been madmen.