Significant Facts.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 43, 23 October 1902, Page 2

Significant Facts.

The meeting of the Trades Union Congress, which took place in London in the early part of September, was significant from more than one point of view. The President, in his address, pointed out that not a single measure of benefit to the working classes had been put on the Statute Book during the past session, and that, on the other hand, the present Government had, after taxing the poor man's sugar, taxed also his bread. But, under its auspices, still worse things had taken place, for the very foundations of the Trades Union system were threatened. ' What was considered legal until 1898/ said the President, 'was now an unlawful act. Peaceful persuasion ought not to be a breach of the law. An emplo\er had the right to entice men away from the union. Unionists should have an equal right to entice men away from the employer.' This puts the case of trade unionists in a nutshell. Later on Mr, Browne, the legal adviser to the Congress, in referring to the Taff Vale case, drew attention to the fact that the Irish landlords had combined in a manner similar to thai of the capitalists in England, and that they were endeavoring to cripple the United Irish League in the same way as had been attempted against the Trades Unions of Great Britain. Both organisations, he pointed out, were now in the same boat in this matter, and their united forces in the House of Commons should have sufficient influence, with the aid of the Liberal Party, to put a stop to the spirit of reaction. It augurs well, at least, for democracy both in Ireland and England that their respective representatives have found a common ground of action which, without interfering with Party opinions, is bound to tell heavily against the landlord and capitalist Government, which has for so many years stood between the people and their most obvious rights.

Another incident which shows how public opinion has altered was the short discussion with regard to the South African war. One of the paragraphs in the report referred to it as ' one of the most remarkable wars of modern times.' Mr John Ward, representing the London navvies, moved an amendment inserting the words 'and unjust ' after ' remarkable. l His amendment, after a warm discussion, was carried by 176 to 134 votes. A vote by card was demanded, and the figures then stood — for Mr Ward's amendment, 591,000; against, 314,000. From these figures it will be seen ihat the working men of England are feeling just now the reaction which generally follows a war. With the prospect of a bad winter and the increased cost of living the industrial classes are begining to recognise that whoever gains by war the workers are sure to be sufferers in the end.