RESENTFUL

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 143, 7 September 1927, Page 1

RESENTFUL

Unionists and Mr. Baldwin INDUSTRIAL PEACE APPEAL Its Sincerity Questioned By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright. Received 9.5 a.m. LONDON, Tuesday. THE reply of the Trades Union Congress to Mr. Baldwin’s industrial peace appeal was a unanimous resolution that the workers more than any section of the community were desirous of peace, but the greatest hindrance to that was the Prime Minister’s attack on the standards and liberties of the workers and the lengthening of the miners’ hours. The repeal of that would be the best evidence of Mr. Baldwin’s sincerity. Failing this the country should take the immediate opportunity of pronouncing a policy.

Mr. Ernest Bevin, secretary of the Dockers’ Union, in moving the resolution, said that Mr. Baldwin was facing both ways. He was responsible for the troubles. The speaker was driven to the conclusion that there was a political policy behind his appeals. The best contribution to peace would be Mr. Baldwin’s resignation. There was a lively debate on an extremist motion for an examination of the future policy of the leadership of the movement. Mr. J. H. Thomas, M. asked: “How can the workers have confidence when they nightly hear the leaders called rotten.” The motion was defeated.—A. and N. UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF COMMITTEE ASSAILED SOME WILD MOMENTS LONDON, Monday. The delegates to the Trades Union Congress at Edinburgh, after discussing Mr. Havelock Wilson’s attitude in opposing extremist tactics, resolved that the council should report upon it immediately. The final session ended in disorder in consequence of a statement. made .by Mr. Peter Chambers, of Scotland, nominated by the Miners’ Federation. In criticising the Blanesburgh Committee’s report regarding the amendment of unemployment benefits, Mr. Chambers said the signing of the re-poi-t by the Labour delegates—Miss Margaret Bondfield, Mr. Frank Hodges and Mr. J. Holmes—had sent girls on to the streets. The cries of dissension were so loud that Mr. Chambers could not obtain a hearing and left the rostrum excitedly waving his papers. Miss Bondfield vehemently replied.

She pointed out that the Blanesburgh scheme was purely one of Insurance. She said she had acted in the best interests of the unemployed. Nevertheless, the congress carried a resolution by 1,836,000 votes to 1.419,000 characterising the report as despicable and asking the executive to guard against such people as the signatories named representing the workers in future on important issues. NON-POLITICAL UNIONS The boilermakers’ delegate, Mr. Pollitt, criticised the general council for its failure to give attention to the activities of non-political unions such as the Seamen’s Union, which, he said, was the greatest menace to the Labour movement, while time was wasted in attacking the Russians. Mr. J. Sexton, M.P., said Mr. Havelock Wilson’s record was brilliant, but his action in supporting non-political unions in an endeavour to destroy the Miners’ Federation had earned their detestation. —A. and N.Z.-Sun. BRITISH “TRAITORS” NOT RED ENOUGH FOR RUSSIA LONDON, Monday. The Riga correspondent of “The Times” states that in connection with the Trades Union Congress at Edinburgh the central organisation of the Ped trades unions in Moscow summoned an extraordinary plenary session of all available members. One speaker, Dogadcff, was particularly bitter about the unwillingness of the general council of the British organisation to see eye to eye with Moscow concerning the danger of an antiSoviet war, and to help rouse the world to the impending calamity. It was decided to telegraph to the Edinburgh Congress condemning the union leaders and describing even Messrs. A. A. Purcell, M.P., and G. Hicks as traitors, and as Mr. J. H. Thomas’s assistants.—Times.