TRADE UNIONS AND POLITICS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 959, 28 October 1910, Page 5

TRADE UNIONS AND POLITICS.

SOCIALIST DISHONESTY,

A SCATHING DENUNCIATION.

By Telegraph—Preee Association— Oopyrieht.

London, October 26.

In a, letter to "The Times," Mr. Frederick Harrison, for many years president of the English Ppsitivist Committee, contends that reversal of the Osborne judgment is out of the question.. Ho argues that if members of the Houso of Commons were compelled to vote according to the will of the 'executive of a trade usion they would soon be met by members ■equally bound to obey tho behests of other corporate bodies, such as banking, railroad, brewing, steel, cotton, shipping, and corn combines. Thus special interests would be represented in Parliament, and would so publicly aid notmally act.

Mr. Harrison adds; ".Doubtless a Bill effecting what Mr. Keir Hardie asks is possible. It might enact that any combination of workmen' applying its common funds to the maintehance of salaried members of the House of Commons should not be (deemed a trade" union as defined by the Trades Union Act. and should not enjoy the privileges of immunity ', conferred on real trade unions.". .

The: letter concludes with a scathing denunciation of the dishonesty of the Socialist minority in trade unions seeking to capture and divert to Utopian schemes the careful savings of trade unions which have been subscribed to succour tho labourer out of, work or during sickness and old ago, or his' family at the time of his death. : ' ■■ . " . WHAT LABOUR.MEMBERS COST. ■ ':..■■.■'•'■■ A.HEAVY BILL. . , .;,. . . 'London, October 26. The "Manchester Guardian's" (Liberal) Labour.co-respondent.states that the expenses of 'the- 78 Labour, candidates at the last election totalled >E50,000, of which .£12.701 went ia ■'.'. returning'! officers' charges. • ....- ■ ~ , ■ .'.

The annual expenditure of the Labour ;Party.was of which ; half was for salaries. .••■ -■':.. •.-.-■ ■■'. •.■'.■,."'■ - '.' : .;■:■•. ;

■The unions-are. also spending annually in financing .local organisations and paymont of members. . ' ; i , The.amount available-is .insufficient to provide the above expenses. ,'