THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19015, 10 November 1923, Page 18

THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD.

NEWS AND NOTES. Bt J, T. PactMAN HIS OWN STAR. Man is his own star: and ihe soul that can Render an honest and a perfect man Commands all light, all influence, all fate; Nothing to him falls early, or 100 late. Onr acts our angels are. or good or ill. Our falal shadows that walk by ns still. -J. Fletcher (1579-1625). THE END OF THE “HALF-TIMER.” The annual Factory Inspector’s Report for Great Britain contains Ihe record of the abolition of the “half-timers,” the boys or girls under 14 years of age who, before their recent, abolition by Act of Parliament, were employed half the day in the cotton mills and half the day at school. Next year’s report will be the first to contain no word of these Httlo industrial victims —the first for 150 years. LABOUR IN AUCKLAND. Unemployment at Auckland seems to remain at a steady level, when judged by the number of applications made to the office of the Labour Department. There were 153 names on the books of (he department on Saturday week last, as against 146 on the previous Saturday, and 149 a fortnight ago. Of the week’s total, 107 of the men were classed as fit for heavy work, 54 of these being labourers. Nine labourers and seven hotel workers were among those able to do light work only. During the week 14 men were placed in private employment and three were given work with the Public Works Department. IF LABOUR kULES IN BRITAIN. In a recent newspaper article Mr J. Ramsay MacDonald, leader of the British Labour Party, put forward a strong- plea for close association between Britain and America. “Labour would regard American aloofness, as a calamity,” said Mr MacDonald. “The Labour Party oon-.-.Kters that its own policy of world pacification and reconstruction is so akin to American putyoscs that America would find it hard to withhold help.” Of the parly’s policy the Leader added: “It has been said that, the trade and financial policy of the Labour Party would make, co-operation impossible, but no party will fulfil its international obligations with more scrupulous care. The British Labour Party never had an inclination towards taking u short out to the millennium. If it had the Russian example would have cured it.” A STATE TRAWLING LOSS. The whole of the vessels engaged in the trawling industry in New South Wales have now been disposed of at prices ranging from £BOOO down to £3500. According to a statement issued by the Chief Secretary, the financial position of (he undertaking to date was as follows: Total capital cost, less depreciation ' ... £147,808 Bough'ly estimated amount from realisation of assets 50,000 Accumulated net loss to June 30, 1322 180,280 Loss from July 1, 1322, to date of clo,-ing of industry (February 28, 1023) ... ", 30,238 Total loss £308,324 COMMUNIST AND LABOUR, “Those who serve Communism cannot also serve the American Federation of Labour.” This was the effect of a series of resolutions passed at the Portland Convention, when the federation bad the greatest housecleaning in its history. Hardly any shreds of the Reds were left when the adjournment came. Hie committee’s report, which was adopted, dealt severely with the Federated Press, founded by Victor Berger, and at present operated by William Z. Foster. It, contained a declaration to put the Reds in a field by themselves, and it denied any possibility of a compromise' between the American Federation of Labour and the Communist propaganda organisations or spokesmen. A resolution expelling Air William Dunne, of Butte, Montana, who is affiliated with the Third International, was intended as a notification to Moscow that it cannot seat delegates on the American Federation of Labour conventions. Air Dunne charged the American Federation of Labour that it stood for the Wages system. Leading officials replied that it certainly did, and avowed that its purpose was to improve that wages system, removing the injustices from it as rapidly as possible, but to protect it from “Aloscow destruction;” In speeches they appealed to the rank and file on the lines of "evolution, sanity, and industrial democracy.” Air Dunne and his handful of friends were expelled by a vote of 369 votes to nine. When ordered to leave the auditorium, Mr Dunne arose and attempted to speak. President Gompers ruled him out of order, and ho left (ho building amid a breathless silence.. The convention also decided against the formation of a political Labour Party. It favoured giving its support to principles which might bring it on the side of either the Republican or the Democratic Party at different times. CONGRESS OR LAUNDRY? Describing the recent Trade Union Congress at Plymouth, Air James Sexton, Labour M.P., declared ’that it had proved to bo “a laundry for (he washing of dirty linen.” The earlier statement of Mr Harry Pollitt, the Communist leader of the boilermakers, that it would be “the usual type of congress, with the usual type of delegates in the majority: comfortable, full-time, wellpaid trade union officials, who look on congress week as a holiday and a reunion to look forward to from year to year,” was not borne out by the facts. The congress was almost a succession of taunts and jabs, of which the following are samples: Mr E. Shinwell, M.P.. Alarine Workers: If wo told all the truth it would not reflect much credit on Mr Havelock Wilson. Mr E. Bevin, Transport Workers: I arn clad to learn that Air Shin well knows something about trade unionism. ■ Mr N. M’Lean, M.P., General Workers: Mr Bevin may call himself what he likes, but he sent his organisers into onr flour mills and yet. he conics here as an electroplated article. Mr J. 11. Alocre, National Laundry Workers: Other unions have sent pugilists to.attack me. Air A. J. Cook, Miners’ Federation ; Each union is promising more than anyone else to (ret members. What old and tried leaders thought of the gathering is summed up in the • following opinions: Air J. Sexton. AI.P.: It was not a congress; it was a laundry. Mr J. H. Thomas, AI.P.: The domestic affairs of the conference have been discussed to the disadvantage of the movement and for the benefit of onr enemies. Air Ben Titlet. M.P.: The congress has been discovered on its uolv side. Mr J. R. Glynes. AI.P.: Alost Trades T nion Congresses have been good; of the bad ones I have known this has been the worst. Mr C. W. Bowcrman. M.P.: I would sooner that the Dailv Herald debate had been taken in public and the personal squabbles in private. Mr Robert Smillie, AI.P.:. Our discussions have undone any good that the “Back to the Unions” campaign has done. JOTTINGS. Fifty thousand Clyde workers have emigrated this year, but the effect on industry is apparently negligible, as 25.000 are idle in the shipbuilding and engineering industries owing to the absence of Admiralty orders. If the common folk in France and Britain cannot get. hold of the machinery of their respective Governments in time, Europe will be impossible as a habitation for civilised man.—Thomas Johnston. British Labour M.P. Officials of the hairdressing exhibition opening in London on November 1 arc debarring women entrants in competitions for dressing women’s hair. “Alen will not allow us to compete, saying wo are insufficiently skilled. They really are afraid of our skf?l,” says a woman hairdresser.