TRADES UNION CONGRESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3313, 12 September 1917, Page 17

TRADES UNION CONGRESS.

IMPORTANT DECISIONS. . (By Cable.) At tho Trades Union Congress at Blackpool Mr Hill (Boilermakers' Union), in tha presidential address, said that evidence given before the recent Industrial Commission showed that Labour unrest was dua to the Government breaking pledges as regards industrial conscription by compelling men to accept unfair conditions under fear of enlistment. The workers were convinced that high prices were duo to unchecked gambling by middlemen. Still, the workers agreed that Belgium, Poland, Alsace, ana Trentino must all bo assured of full justice. Ho asked i "Could this be accomplished militarily? Already 9,000,000 men had been killed. He condemned the denial of tha right of Allied democracy to meet the peoples of all countries for the propagation or a world democracy, and concluded br affirming that the trades unions endorsed tho declared aims of the Allies.

The congress recommended that attempts be made to secure agreement amongst the working classes of the Allies a 3 a fundamental condition to a successful international conference. The Trade Union Congress decided against any participation in the Stockholm Conference at present, the voting being 2,849,000 to 91,000. Mr B. Smillio, in proposing the adoption of the Special Committee's report, affirmed that the Labour §arty was almost rent in twain by the tockholm question. The -committee s recommendation amounted to_ a comprom.se with a view to securing unity. The great need of the moment was the close relationship of Labour among the Allied nations. However, Labour's voice must be heard in the peace settlement. Mr Havelock Wilson (president of the Seamen's Union) reiterated that the seamen would never carry delegates to Stockholm. The congress referred the question of air defence to tho General Purposes Committee. The congress unanimously denounced tha Germane' submarine barbarities. Mr Haveloclc Wilson (president of the Seamen's Union) said that our seamen had decided to see that after the war the Germans foul deeds are punished, whatever tho Government might do, and every crime hereafter would be recorded for punishment.

The congress then welcomed the president of the mining section of the American Convention of Labour, who. on behalf of the organised workers of the United States, said they were determined thai Prussianism and all it representee! should be consigned to everlasting perdition. The congress resolved that the school age should bo raised to 16, and no child under that ago be allowed to earn wages. The congress carried resolutions in favouf of Freetrade by 2,339,000 votes to 273,000 j also of an eight-hour day for all irades. beginning a month after the declaration of peace, and the payment to demobilised soldiers of their trades until re-employed. Mr Henderson declared that the Stockholm Conference idea was not dead j the first step had been taken to resurrect it.