Truculent Communists

Chronicle (Levin), 10 May 1949, Page 7

Truculent Communists

Received Monday 7 p.m. SYDNEY, May 9. The general secretary of the Waterside Workers' Federation (Mr J. Healy) says that he will not resign from the Stevedoring Industry Cominission unless the workers say that they do not want representation. The chairman of the commission (Mr Justice Kirby) last month called on Messrs Healy and E. Roach. the water siders' representatives on the commission, to give an undertaking that tbey Tvould discontinue their "counsel of disobedienee." If they did not do so, he. said, he would have to recommend the • termination of their appointments. Both offieials later said they would not give • any such .underfaking. They called upon Mr Justice-. Kirby to resign. Mr Healy told a meeting of watersiders that he had not heard from Mr Justice Kirby since the Judge made an appeal to watersiders not to strike in protest against the Arbitration Court prosecution of L. J. McPhillips, Communist assistant general secretary of the Ironworkers ' Hnion. "In the industrial Arbitration Court we have three lawyers or three judges, " said Mr Heaiv. "They are not carrying out the work nor'mally carried out by the judiciary. In the gaoling of McPhillips and the threat against Wright, the Communist secretary of the Sheet Metalworkers' Union, there is an attempt to silence those who criticise the law makers. " McPhillips, who was released from gaol on Saturday, told a meeting that he did not intend to apologise to the Arbitration Court for the statements which had led to his being convicted for contempt.