INDUSTRIAL CHREST.

Otago Witness, Issue 3414, 20 August 1919, Page 16

INDUSTRIAL CHREST.

BRITISH SITUATION REVIEWED. (By Cable). LONDON, August 11. _ The situation in the Labour world is improving, the failure of .the police, the Tees steelworkers, and other strikes having had a wholesome effect in the trade union world. The number of Labour leaders at the week-end mass meeting insisted on the folly of continual strikes. The deadlock continues in Yorkshire, where an output of 1,200,000 tons of coal already has been lost, but there are indications that the Yorkshire miners will favour a ballot, which would probably result in a decision to return to work. The speakers at a mass meeting in Hyde Park, including discharged police strikers, contended for continuing the strike, and requested trade union support, but it is obvious to even-one that the extremists have utterly failed. The termination of the bakers' strike is due to the acceptance of the employers' offer to arbitrate regarding 44 hours weekly and £4 a week as the minimum wage, and also the introduction in Parlia ment of a Bill abolishing night work. The documents seized at Acton include plans for the seizure of guns, rifles, and ammunition from army depots. The police contemplate other raids on .suspected quarters. A SANE LEADER. LONDON, August 11. Mr Thomas, addressing a great Labour meeting at Yarmouth, condemned the over-use of strikes. He added: As an industrial weapon they are sometimes necessary, but the downing of tools every day on every conceivable subject is a disastrous method which, while losing its power, is yet doing incalculable harm. The continuance of such a practice will lead to chaos. The only safe road to progress is constitutional government." MR WILL THORNE'S ATTITUDE. LONDON, August 17. Mr Will Thome, M.P., in his presidential address to the Nationalised Socialist Party's Conference at Northampton, declared that the party opposed every form of anarchism, whether disguised as Bolshevism or direct action. YORKSHIRE MINERS' STRIKE. LONDON, August 12, The council of the Yorkshire Miners' Association decided to recommend the resumption of work. The Yorkshire miners lost £5,000,000 in wages, but received £380,000 in strike pay out of a total, available fund.of £1,700,000. All the Yorkshire collieries voted in favour of returning to work. THE COAL SHORTAGE. LONDON, August 10. The Daily Mail, commenting on the coal position, states that since the seven-hour day was introduced the weekly coal output has declined approximately by 50_ per cent. The newspaper adds that the indications are that in the future the total output is not likely to exceed the amount for bunkers and home consumption which was required in 1913. August .11. There are a hundred thousand woolworkers now unemployed in Yorkshire, owing to the coal shortage, yet the Drapers' Record states that there is so much wool in the country that the Shipping Controller is seriously considering the question of stopping imports for several months, and allowing Americans and European Allies to bid at the next sales. The unemployed workers seem untroubled by the peril ahead, and are gaily going on * holidays, drawing out-of-work pay- _ ADVOCATING NATIONALISATION. LONDON, August 14. Mr Robert Smillie (president of the Miners' Federation), speaking at Ayr, said that, if the Government refused to nationalise the coal mines, the must use their industrial power to force its hands. The industrial horizon was black, and he foresaw the approach of a bitter war between Capital and Labour. A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE. LONDON, August 14. The Ministry of Labour is considering legislation making strikes and lockouts illegal without a week's notice in writing. Prompt public inquiry could be then held and a report presented within a week. ENGINEER WORKERS' DEMANDS. LONDON, August 14. A conference of representatives of 1,750,000 engineering workers agreed to submit the men's demands for a 44-hours week to a joint committee of employers and employees, with an independent chairman, which would report upon the economic effect of the change. August 17. A meeting of Trade Union engineers in the Manchester district, who are, over 30,000 strong, resolved to relinquish the agitation for reduced working hours until a more opportune time. The meeting recommended all workers to lielp in recovering Britain's foreign trade. THE LIVERPOOL DOCKERS. LONDON, August 15. (Received Aug. 17, at 5.5 p.m.) The executive of the Liverpool dockers repudiate the report that a strike was ordered in support of the police strike, and declare that the men were ordered to await official instruction. The Labour leaders at Liverpool, representing all trades, unanimously decided to demand the reinstatement of the -police strikers, otherwise there would be a gene-

ral stoppage of all workers in. Liverpool on Wednesday for three days. The leaders threaten that this will he the prelude for further stoppages. A LOCK-OUT. ' LONDON, August 18. Owing to a threatened strike the cooperative societies of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cheshire, and North Wales have locked out 30,000 employees. DIRECT ACTION. LONDON, August 12. A meeting of the Triple Alliance postponed the ballot pending a further conference consequent on changed conditions. The Evening News states that the transport workers have refused a ballot on the question of direct action. This has killed the movement. August 13. The “Triple Alliance” passed a resolution to postpone direct action in view of the changed Government attitude since the proposal was first considered. The “Triple Alliance” (miners, railway - men, and transporters), realising the unpopularity of the threat of a general strike on account of the North Russian expedition and the repeal of conscription, has decided on a new policy. Tire alliance is now seeking to take a ballot in favour of a general strike unless the Government promises the nationalisation of the coal industry. INTRIGUE IN ENGLAND. LONDON, August 11. The pamphlets seized at Acton included appeals to workers, signed by Lenin and Trotsky, urging the overthrow of constitutional government, and to follow the example of- their comrades in Russia, Hungary, and Helsingfors. August 12. Police raids have revealed that the Extremists’ plans included the setting up of a republic at Glasgow, and the establishment of Bolshevist regimes on the Clyde, in Yorkshire, and the Midlands, especially at Nottingham and Bradford. August 13. The police arrested Maurice Facey at the Communist Club, London, on the ground that he was connected with the Zacharissen affair. INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONFERENCE. WASHINGTON, April 11. President Wilson has fixed the 29th of October as the date of the International Labour Conference. STRIKERS IN CAIRO. CAIRO, August 12. There are further strikes. The tramways have ceased running, and other public services are threatened. The agitators are advocating a general strike. TROUBLE IN SPAIN. MADRID, August 18. Owing to workers’ increasing demands the Masters’ Federation at Barcelona decided on a lock-out, and are negotiating for an extension of the movement elsewhere. The, Government is preparing to deal with threatened conflicts. At Barcelona a bomb was thrown into a factory, and severe damage resulted. STRIKES IN GERMANY. COPENHAGEN, August 17. New and serious labour troubles have arisen in Germany. The electricians’ strike in Upper Silesia has led to a gradual deadlock, and a general strike is threatened. The workers’ demands are political rather than industrial. - A NEW YORK STRIKE. NEW YORK, August 16. The operating employees on the York subway and elevated lines decided to strike on 4- u p us t 17 because the traction companies refused a 40 per cent, increase in wages. - . • The city' authorities are prepared to operate omnibuses, lorries, and motor' cars for the purpose of furnishing citizens with transportation.

AUSTRALIAN SEAMEN’S STRIKE.

NO SETTLEMENT YET.. 1 MELBOURNE, August 13. A meeting of - the Federated Seamen’s Union unanimously decided to accept the Executive Council’s recommendation to man the ships when ready. August 14. Senator Millen announced that the Sydney seamen’s stipulation that Walsh should attend the conference and that there must be no reference to the Arbitration Court had defered settlement of the strike, but he was still hopeful that it would be concluded. If. however, the Sydney branch stipulated that the conditions were in variance to any agreement recommended by the conference he would not be warranted in indulging much longer in the hope of a settlement. August 15. Senator Millen announced that he has received a communication from the Sydney seamen which he could not at present make public; but it would not help matters, as the stipulation for a roundtable conference conflicts with the Government’s demand for the recognition of the Arbitration Court. August 16. The Victorian Government is reimposing all the coal restrictions from to-day. Ten thousand workers will thus ~be rendered idle. ' August 18. A stormy meeting of seamen, at which the extremists attempted to regain control, decided to support whatever decision is reached by the Sydney branch of the Seamen’s Federation. SYDNEY, August 13. A mass meeting of seamen agreed to accept the Government’s terms whereby ships will be manned on Monday.

August 14. A mass meeting of seamen rescinded yesterday's resolution and passed another similar to that carried at the Melbourne meeting, affirming intention to man the ships on Monday. Meanwhile the conference will take place at Melbourne, and the unions of the various States will be represented. The mass meeting of seamen concluded amid uproar, a section objecting to the motion, which was eventually carried, to the effect that the men will man the ships on Monday provided the decisions of the Round Table Conference are final j and further, that inter-State Labour representatives are allowed to attend the conference. August 15. _ An inexplicable position has arisim in connection with the seamen's strike. The officials of the Seamen's Union state that the strike is definitely off, and that preparations would be made to resume work on Monday unless Senator Millen advised to the contrary. Senator Milleri states that he has received no message from the Sydney seamen, but the Sydney Union has received a message from Senator Millen and is unable to divulge the contents. August 16. The officials refuse to divulge the result of the mass meeting of seamen, but it is understood that it was decided to rescind all previous resolutions. • It was unanimously agreed not to resume until further notice, awaiting a definite statement from Senator Millen. . August 17. It transpires that the seamen's resolutions cabled yesterday correctly interpreted the men's attitude. The present position is that the meeting stands adjourned until Senator Millen makes a definite statement. No ships will be manned until further notice. The latest developments caused consternation among shipowners, many of whom, had made all preparations to despatch steamers to-morrow. >/' August 18. The strike position is unchanged. Senator Millen's reply is reported to be unsatisfactory. Victorian seamen believe that the end is in sight. The seamen's executive is endeavouring to secure the co-operation of the overseas unions to prevent the vessels strike breaking. A meeting has been called for Tuesday night to discuss the taking of action. This move is the outcome of six of the Prinzessin's firemen leaving the vessel and preventing her sailing, and reporting that the Prinzessin would be used to replace the Makura and the Niagara. BRISBANE; August 18. The seamen, firemen, and watersiders have black-listed all vessels manned by non-union crews. I LABOUR STATISTICS. MELBOURNE,' August 13. A report issued by the Commonwealth Statistician States that from 1913 to 1918 there were 2153 strikes in the commonwealth, involving 7697 establishments. TTie workers involved numbered 9,156,589, and the loss of wages amounted to £5,073,346. . Labour statistics show that the union membership in 1918 totalled 581,755. WATERSIDERS' CLAIMS. MELBOURNE, August 15. Giving evidence in the Arbitration Court in connection with the Waterside Workers' Federation case for higher wages, the president of the Sydney branch stated that the claims included treble rates on Sundays and certain holidays, with a minimum of four hours' engagement. This might mean that men would have to be paid 30s each for shifting passengers' luggage, or 53s each for shifting explosives, though they actually worked only half an hour.