Labour Notes.

Southern Cross, Volume 19, Issue 25, 7 October 1911, Page 11

Labour Notes.

SAWMILL WORKERS MAY WORK FOR THEMSELVES.

A SOUTHLAND SUGGESTION

At the last meeting of the Sawmill Workers' Union, the secretary, Mr T. O'Byrne, introduced the question of the Union entering into the sawe>illing industry as an owner. He failed to set; why it could not be worked ; in fact, he maintained, the scheme could not possibly fail, as the best workers would lie at the disposal of the Union. All that was required was to secure a suitable piece of bush. If trouble in the shape of a strike, or in any other way, then arose, the Union would have something solid ait its back. The profits could be used, for initiating a strike fund and a sick benefit fund, and the proposal could be extended from time to time in the direction of acquiring other sawmills. He knew of one man who would guarantee £200; another man had offered £SO, and he himself would give .£SO towards bringing the scheme into operation. The idea was favourably received, and i.he secretary was instructed to secure the option of purchasing a piece of bush, and to report at next meeting. TRADE UNIONISTS. According to a writer in the Railway Review (England) the total membership of trade unions was 11.185.086 in 1909. The countries with the largest, membership are : Germany 2.865,086 ; United vStat.es and Canada. 2,500,000 ; «reat Britain and Ireland, 2.847,461 ; France, 977,850 : Italy, 820,000 ; and Austria, 586.4 98. 'The number of trade unionists in Australia and New Zealand, is given at 261,548.

WORKING MEN STUDYING 1 ECONOMICS AT OXFORD.

For the past few months some 200 manual workers have been meeting daily at Balliol College, Oxford, to study social* and economic problems. Lectures have been given by eminent professors, and at their conclusion spirited discussions have been held which have revealed the profound grasp which the students have of the subjects.

Some' of the men have been at Balliol for a fortnight, while a great many have only been able to go "up" to Oxford for a week. There has been a chimney sweep there for a month, however, and a navvy has been attending lectures for three weeks. For the first time for 400 years. really poor scholars have been resident in Balliol, for the college authorities have allowed some forty of these working men students to live in the college. THE RAILWAY STRIKE AT HOME. "Discussing the late strike from an Australian point of view, the Rev.W. IT. Fitchett, writing in the Daily Mail, quoted the statement of Mr .1. H. Thomas, M.P., to the effect -that "throughout the length and breadth of the land, a responsible labour leader will take his stand, and, demand that the railway system will stop altogether." This policy, when translated into plain English, wrote Mr Fitchett, means the creation of such a vast sum-total of suffering —suffering that takes the shape of death for little children, of hunger for women, of ruin for trade —as would prove intolerable. Now, Australian experience goes to prove that general public opinion quickly realises the peril such a policy carries with it for the whole community. The instinct of self-preservation is aroused. Combatants who use such tremendous weapons are felt to be public enemies. Their methods are an ofTence to reason. They are like men who propose to sink the ship in order to stop the leak, or who undertake to burn down the house for the sake of curing a bad drain. When this is once realised defeat for such aj pol icy is inevitable.

If Australian experience is of any authority in Great Britain, the recent railway strike was a blunder. It was bound to fail. And failure will bring a temporary loss of general public sympathy with the strikers, and discredit some good causes in which they are profoundly interested.