PEACE IN INDUSTRY.

Waikato Times, Volume 104, Issue 17501, 7 September 1928, Page 8

PEACE IN INDUSTRY.

ACTION APPROVED. TRADES CONGRESS DECISION. A VERY DECISIVE VOTE. (By Telegraph—Press Assn—Copyright.) (Australian Press Association). (Received Sept. 7, 2.45 p.m.) LONDON Sept. 6. The Congress of Trades Unions’ Council debated the Mond Industrial Peace Scheme. Mr. Citrine, secretary' of the Congress, defended the general council accepting the invitation to participate. It was nonsense to say the employers had set a trap to catch the workers. The council only acted in accordance with the world-wide development of trades unionism. Labour demanded a voice in the control of industry and the employers had conceded it. Mr. Brownlie, for the engineers, moved an amendment condemning the council for acting unconstitutionally and referring the matter to the executives of the various unions for consideration; also directing the general council not to proceed further in the meantime. Mr. Hicks, last year’s president, representing the building trade workers, supported the amendment and denied that it was intended to censure the council, but every union and every member thereof should be consulted first.

Mr. Clynes favoured the continuance of the negotiations. It would be a priceless boon if a joint committee were established in the coal industry! in order to see the industry safely through the present crisis with the least hardship to the workers. Mr Cook (miners’ secretary) in an impassioned half an hour s speech, said the Labour leaders were doing their best, but were trying to defeat invincible economic laws. There was no change in the employers’ policy since the conversations began. The employers were fools and the workers must protect themselves not through alliances, but through their own independent structure. At the conclusion of his speech, Mr Cook staggered from the rostrum and fainted, but recovered in the waiting room, where his first words on regaining consciousness were, “Have I beaten them?" &

Mr Herbert Smith, the miners’ president, said briefly be was there to tell them that the Federation considered the council did right in accepting the employers’ invitation, and had hitherto acted correctly. The amendment was defeated on a card vote by 2,921,000 to 708,000 and the report of the council was adopted by 3,075,000 to 5GG.000.