Queensland Unions Deserting Communist Leaders

Chronicle (Levin), 30 March 1948, Page 5

Queensland Unions Deserting Communist Leaders

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter*

Copyright)

Received Monday, 8.50 p.m. - SYBNE'Y, March 29. ' As the Queensiand raiiway strike struggles on througli its Hiinth week, it beeomes ineiteasingly apparent that Avliat began as a small grievaiiee (Sdsiiy TemedieJd? by court action, is being sustainee? as a major issue to save the face of the Communist Party. It is obviou's that the strike,: which could- not succeed whcn if eut off all. rail .transport in; Queensiand and threatened tq promote a general" stoppagq throughout* Australia, has nq ; chanee , tvhatever . nqw-- that 500 t.rains are running dally and many unions are withdrawing their support. /Phis week fhe Hanlon Government was .assured of the support of all moderates in preparing further 'telling blows against the Cqinnninists while striking unionists, dejected, divided and impover.ished, can.see.no easy way out of the fruit less confliet. "The series of defeats within the past week pointed the way to a q.uick settlement by the Arbitration Court which has always held out the promise of immediate action. Queensiand miners, after rel'using to consider mofe drastie action in support of the railwaymen.'returned to work. Brisbanepostal woT-lcers refused all support, Dockers and ironworkers in Newcastle faile'd to heed the appeal „of fellow unionists in Queensiand. Mem.bers oi' the Australian Society ofv Engineers at Lithgow censured their president for supporting the reeent sympathy strike and members of the Builcling W'orkers' Industrial Unioil protestod against "a strike levy. Scorning any efforts at mediation, the Communist strike leaders pushed on to what must be eonsidered their crowning folly. Summonsed on.a charge- of eontempt of the industrial Court by ordering the destruction of ballort 'pajiers, E. J. Rowe, a well-known Cotnmui'iist, ehose to seek fiiglit rather than stand trial. Party apologists say that, the Commuffists prei'er to fight with their leaders out of goal and that Rowe will surrende.r hitnself Avhen the time is ripe but Rowe's escapade has left a nasty taste in the mouth% of some of his followers. It is evident enough that though Comniunist leaders in Brisbane have heen hauled before the Court several times, none is yet in prison. They liave been remanded or fined small surns and permitted to carry on their work. In sentencing Rowe in his absence, the judge said that had he appeared Rowe would certninly have been graiited time in which to prepare his case. The most disillitsioned, however, are the workers who heard Rowe annoimce that he would take full responsibility for^his action in destroying the papcrs and who on a previous occasion, were present when he urged them to follow him in an illegal proeession "even if ut means -gaol "for all of us."