OPEN MIND

Southland Times, Issue 21178, 3 September 1930, Page 5

OPEN MIND

TRADE UNIONISTS ATTITUDE ON TARIFF QUESTION NO RIGID DOCTRINES (British Official Wireless. (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) Rugby, September 1. The attitude of trade unions to the tariff controversy was discussed by Mr John Beard in his presidential address to the Trades Union Congress at Nottingham today. Mr Beard said he did not think there was the slightest likelihood that the trade union movement would ever adopt a policy of allround protection. On the other hand the trade union movement had not tied itself to any rigid doctrine of free trade. He continued: "To make a fetish of free trade and to maintain that at no time and in no circumstances whatever must the principle of 100 per cent, free trade be questioned is in our view as foolish and impossible as it would be to declare that tariffs arc a cure -for all our industrial ills. We see nothing new or strange in the refusal to tie ourselves down to an extreme form of free trade dogma, but that does not mean that we have declared in favour of a tariff policy. The opposite of free trade is regulated trade, and there are many ways of regulating trade, and therefore many methods of establishing economic links with other nations besides methods of tariffs. "In considering such links we shall listen to any case that may be put up for tariffs just as much as for any other method. ’ Therefore, to tie ourselves in advance only to discuss matters on free trade lines is a direct denial of our own right to interfere with economic conditions. Trade unions cannot and will not do that. Let us examine the case for and against every suggested proposal; let us judge each case on its merits. Expediency in the broadest sense of that term must be our guide, and not same abstract principle which may have no relation to the actual facts and problems with which we are faced.” Mr Beard deprecated the loose talk about "Socialism’’ in our time, and said there was no kind of organization in society capable of effecting a change-over from capitalist production without tremendous dislocation to the social and economic life of the nation. He compared the task of the Labour Government with that of re-build-ing a road without stopping traffic, and he appealed for loyal party support for the Government and its head, Mr Ramsay MacDonald. TEXTILE WORKERS NO SUPPORT DURING LOCK-OUT. London, September 2. Apart from Mr Beard’s address at the Trades Union Congress there was a general debate on trade union affairs. The locomotive engineers’ resolution complaining that the General Council failed to support the woollen workers during their recent lock-out was warmly debated. It was stated that the textile workers fought with their hands behind their backs owing to the Labour Government appointing the MacMillan Commission, which reported in favour of wage reduction. Mr Arthur Pugh defended the General Council. GROWTH OE MOVEMENT COMPARISON WITH 1872. SUBJECTS FOR DEBATE. London, September 1. Six hundred and six delegates, representing 3.744,000 trade unionists, assembled at Nottingham for the 62nd annual congress, which compares with 77 delegates representing 250,000 who met in 1872. The .Communist leaders who have been excommunicated by the congress arc organizing hunger marches to the congress by way of enforcing their grievances. Mr Bevan moves on Thursday the recommendations of the Economic Committee favouring the British Commonwealth becoming an economic unit, which foreshadows the possibility of Empire preference. The Miners’ Federation announce that it will oppose the recommendation. Another keenly debated matter is the proposed child endowment from birth to the end of the schooling age.