TRADES UNION CONGRESS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 23029, 21 October 1944, Page 5

TRADES UNION CONGRESS

Suggested Weekly Journal Proposal Withdrawn By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright LONDON, October 19. The Trades Union Congress at Blackpool carried a resolution that it is the policy 7 of Congress to secure the 40-hour'week throughout industry at the earliest practical date, and that two weeks’ I holiday with pay should be proI vided by legislation, that both reI ports should be brought into operation as soon as possible after the ’ war, and that the Government should urge the application of these principles throughout the world by inclusion of them in the peace settlement. Another resolution urged the immediate transfer to public ownership and control of industries vitally important to the life or well-being of the community, notably transport, fuel, power and the iron and steel industries. Drawing attention to the danger of cartels, Congress asked the Government to appoint a commission to inauire into their activities. Congress also advocated release of all Indian political prisoners and instructed the general council to send a delegation to India to study the Labour movement there. A resolution asking the genera. 1 council to launch a weekly Trades I Unions Council journal designed to command popular support was with- • general secretary (Sir Walter Ci ■; . / losing the resolution, said ; : l.?r time ago they had a long , .j rr .r e of trying to run a daily i newspaper and the circulation had ■ never reached more than 250.000 Thev had also tried to run a weekly called the “New Clarion.” Inevitable Found Out “We v“ v -' n n found out the inevitable whet’ tl■? official journal was concern ■ Walter. No official journal v- free to comment and n cannot be. because the moment it singles out something—however goodnatured the criticism—then at once we have protests.” i • ... Sir Walter Citrine added that tne “Dailv Herald” cost them £oOO.OOO and the “New Clarion” a large sum He did not think Congress would be wise to commit itself to publish the suggested iourn? 1 until it had an adeovat“ opportunity to examine how was to be done. .... , Mr B Roberts (National Union of Public Employees!. mover of■ the resolution. said that Sir Walter Citrines speech was most depressing. 1 weekly journal will be an effective antide'e to any attempt by tne Press lords’ to mislead the public aoout the proceedings r' Congress. It will be an effective instrument to break any botcotL and will give an exceller; opportunity to those members of the general council who are sLent in the public Press to spread themselves over the pages of the journal which I hop 77 Congress will ultimately publish.