LABOUR UNREST.

Otago Witness, Issue 3383, 15 January 1919, Page 40

LABOUR UNREST.

(By Cable.) LABOUR SOCIALIST CONFERENCE. Mr Will Thorne, British Labourite, has declined to attend the International Labour-Socialist Conference in Lausanne, owing to the Bolshevist tendency of a section of the Berlin Socialists. Owing to the -withdrawal of Mr Clynes, Mr Will Thorne, and.Mr Bowerman, the British trade union delegates to the Lausanne International Labour Socialist Conference will be Mr Thomas, Mr T. Greenall, and Miss Bondfield.

The secretary of the British Labour Party has cabled inviting the Australian Labour Party to appoint two delegates to the International Conference, which is to be held at, Lausanne. The German Socialists have informed Mr Branting (Swedish Socialist leader) that they will attend the Lausanne Inernational Socialist Conference when the German National Assembly elections are finished. RAILWAY MEN AND MINERS. The Daily Telegraph states that industrial controversy is reopening acutely. The raihvaymen on Tuesday discussed means to achieve their national programme. They are demanding the permanent retention of the 33s per week war advance, plus 10s a week extra, besides drastic overtime and holiday concessions. The miners' programme is even more ambitious—namely, a six-hour day and a 50 per cent, advance on the .existing war pay. The Miners' Federation is calling a national conference to discuss methods. Obviously both miners and raihvaymen hope to force on a successful issue before trade settles down again. Owing to the removal of the South Coast Railway Company's work at Brighton to Lancing, the employees struck, ae manding payment for time to and from work. A general strike has been ordered, and it is believed that the Crewe and Swindon railway workers will strike today. Three hundred electrical engineers at the Chelsea power station threatened to stop the district railway on the 10th in order to force the concession of a 47-hour week. The "dispute has now been referred to a conference. The Premier informed a deputation of raihvaymen thafr the question of nationalising' the railways has been held over for the present. ' A MESSAGE TO GERMANS. The Labour leaders, including Mr Smillie (president of the Miners' Federation), have sent Christmas greeting to the German people on the new era ahead of them, the modelling of which"" will be humanity's united task. They add : "Our earnest hope is that we may step forward in peace and friendship with other nations, and thus transfoi'm discord into harmony, so that old evils may disappear, and in time the unity of the nations will be realised. We send you a message of hope and friendship." STRIKES IN AMERICA. The marine workers' strike threatens to tie up the harbour of New York and affect more than 50,000 men. A Dictatorship has been declared in Argentine in connection with the strikes. Many have been killed, ancl there is rioting in Buenos Aires. The public buildings are barricaded. A general strike has been called. . It is estimated that a hundred men have been killed in the strikes. The trains are not running throughout the country. The Bolshevists have organised a White Guards force 10,000 strong. The United Press Buenos Aires correspondent states that the gneeral strike has been settled. The employers have granted higher wageg and shorter hours. ' ONE BIG UNION. An inter-State conference for the purpose of drafting one big union scheme is now sitting in Melbourne.

DEFENDING THE BOLSHEVISTS. The Sydney Labour Council, after listening to an address by M. Thomas, one of the members (representative of Labour) of the French Mission, which was frequently interrupted" because of his antagonism to Bolshevism, carried a motion sending fraternal greetings 'to the workers of France and all other countries, and "realising that the calumnies hurled at the Bolshevists emanate from the enemies of the working class, express the "hope that those fighting for freedom will triumph over the foul monarchs and militarists and all their supporters." AN ADVANCE ASKED FOR. Unrest prevails in the northern collieries of New South . Wales, where the Miners' Federation is pressing for an advance of 25 per cent, on the present rates, which the owners are disinclined to concede. RETURNED SOLDIERS. Several hundred returned soldiers in Syd ; ney, who are members of the Waterside Unions, went in procession to the chief secretary's office, and asked to Be given preference work on wharves and ships. They declared their willingness to work alongside of loyalists who stood by the Government during the strike, and disclaimed any connection with the " Red Raggers" preaching Bolshevism. They said they would stand by the Government if, as the result of such preaching, an upheaval came. Mr Fuller expressed sympathy with the men's request, and promised special Cabinet consideration. The wharf labourers unloading a meat lighter in Darling Harbour struck work to-day. Returned soldiers immediately replaced them, and finished the work, the police removing the strikers. The Brisbane Returned Soldiers' League

has written to the Seamen's Union asking the members not to work the ship which Senator Pearce intends. travelling on, as a more competpnt man can be found amongst A.I.F. officers abroad.