TRADE UNIONISM. '

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13747, 9 September 1908, Page 5

TRADE UNIONISM. '

INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS SUGGESTED. SHORT HOURS THE CUHE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT. By Electric Telegraph. — Copyright. LONDON, Sept. 8. " Mr D. J. Shackleton T M.P., presiding at the Trades Union Congress at Nottingham, which represents a membership of 1,776,000, said that unemployment was more than< ever an urgent question. The first effective alteration must be the reduction of the hours of labour, but this could sot be approached^ solely, from a national standpoint. He suggestedlhat {he efforts of trade federations in various countries should be directed to the holding of conferences and the formation of an international association, for promoting labour legislation. A conference representing all European States and British Governments would rightly interpret the desires of workers if they took the lead and arranged for the holding of such a conference in London. The Daily Telegraph says the sugfestion that the Governments should old a great trade union conference proVes that British Socialists dwell in a cuckoo, land of their own. The Telegraph imagines that what the more candid members of the Government would say is that it is hard enough to get a patient hearing for the question of limitation of armaments without bringing forward fantastic ideas for international limitation of working hours.