COMMUNISTS IN N.S.W.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16734, 16 May 1922, Page 5

COMMUNISTS IN N.S.W.

WIDESPREAD TROUBLE POSSIBLE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. SYDNEY, May 15. Mr Ley. Minister of Justice, dealing with the growth of Communism in the i Labour movement influenced several recent attempts to promote, sectional strikes with a view to involving other unions. Only when they found the weight of public opinion against them were tho attempts abandoned, hut they still were being engineered in othur directions. He stressed the serious possibility of widespread trouble, and urged the workers to assert themselves and not allow themselves to be led like sheep to the slaughter by imported extremists, who could not exist except by causing strife and disunion. On the other hand, the Government is being criticised, both by members inside its own party and by outsiders for delay in dealing with the increasing unemployed difficulty. The new basic wage adds complications, as if the Government gazettes it it will mean that salaries of public servants will he reduced by 7s weekly. Opponents, particularly Labourites, are utilising these factors to support the contention that the Government’s policy aims at a general reduction of wages and lengthening of the hours of labour. This is strenuously refuted by members of the Cabinet, who point out that the Government has nothing whatever to do with reduction of wages, which is the function of the Courts.