TRADES UNION CONGRESS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19145, 31 October 1927, Page 11

TRADES UNION CONGRESS.

_♦ MR HAVELOCK WILSON SPEAKS OUT. (BT CABLI—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT). (AUSTRALIAN AND X.Z. AND SOU CABLE.) LONDON, October 28. "Unfortunately the Trades Union Congress has not displayed much courage. Bather are they like a lot of tame rabbits, practically apologising for living. They will discover the a rough crowd. Persuasion goes a long way with them, but force will be met by force," declared Mr Havelock Wilson replying to the Trade Union Congress ultimatum. "What we have done is not for profit of ourselves, but for the benefit of the miners. Our complaint is the incompetence of one or two leaders of the Federation who are a danger to trade unionism. We also complain of attempts by the Beds to capture the Federation for revolutionary purposes. Personally, I cannot see justification for. spending £2OOO on convening a special conference. Anyway, I believe the delegates will follow the lead given. If the Trade Union Congress cares to lose our £IOOO affiliation, it is their responsibility." [A previous message from London stated that the General Council of the Trades Union Congress supported the i complaint of the Miners' Federation against the Seamen's Union decision to lend ,the non-political Miners' Union i £IO,OOO. The complaint was not published, hut was sent privately to each organisation. It was known that it gave the Seamen's Union fourteen days in which to disclaim its intention of supporting the non-political union. Should the Seamen's Union not comply there was a precedent for its complete disaffiliation or suspension for a period of years.]