MOB ORATORY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1909, 18 November 1913, Page 7

MOB ORATORY.

LARKIN AND HIS FIERY CROSS AT MANCHESTER. A VIOLENT SPEECH. ONSLAUGHT ON TRADE UNIONS. By Telegraph—Prfiss AusociHtißn-Oapyriglrt (Ree. November 17, 10.20 p,m.) London, November 17. James Larkin, tli© Dublin, transport strike leader, addressing a crowd of 4000 at Manchester, urged trade •unionists not to handle-Liverpool goods. Ho was tlioro, lie said, on Ms defence, TI3O Auciciit Ofder of Hibernians, lie declar* ed, wore tho foulest brood who "had over cursed the country. After describing tli© horrors -of the Dublin slams, Lnrknt vigorously doiioua;ed those wl?o had appealed to Englishmen to givo t'iiom Home Bule,. because tliey wanted to become part of tho Empire, and jet in flte iiext breath accused the action *>f Englishmen and Scotsmen who offered to receive tho starving children, as an attempt to proselytise.

Ha denied presuming to dictate a general strike or telling tlis trade union guidances—Wise Men from tho East— What to do. It was for his hearers to tell tlMm. He added: "You Mve been sending us money and food, ajid have released ffie from prison. We can reothers. Get tho 'scabs' out of Dublin, ahd support us in the fight to obtain the right to combine. What aro tho unions doing ? They aro blaeklegging at 'scab' rates, and at a lower cost to the capitalists than the 'scab.' It is time we woke up. Do you want to disgrace your manhood and your -union by pretending* to be friendly, and giving Us money? 1) 11 you and your money! (Cheers.) We don't want it l"

"Wo want you," continued tho speaker, "to carry out tlio othicaof trade unionism. Don't 'scab 1 cut us. As organised men. if 'scabs' handle Dublin stuffg are you going to handle it at Manchester and Liverpool? (Cries of 'No!') Wo ire being olforcd up in Dublin, as a sacrifice to tho Mammon of Capitalism. I say fliis must ho broken, down. But don't only.sond us your mosey—wo do not thank you for it. It is your duty," (Cheers.)

Larkiji bitterly complained that eight hundred "scatbs," some wearing ' the badge of a. well-known union, were either in Dublin or going there. Ho added: "If this is trades unionism, then d—-*-u your trades unionism." Tho' meeting resolved to urge tho trade union executive to summon a national conference for the purpose of taking national action to preserve trades tmiou rights. Tho Labour party in Dublin at the next general election will oppose Messrs. W, F. Cotton; J..,J, Glaiiey, and W. Abraham (nationalist members for Dublin constituencies). Ahjt considerable number of abstentions may endanger the other seats.

The report of the Commission of • Inquiry—Sir ficorgo Askwith, Sit Thomas Ellis, and Jlr. J. R, Cljnes, M.P.—states, after tracing the source of the tronblo to a series of happenings in 1998: "Tho event? that have occurred in the various industries indicate that . grievances of considerable importance have esistod." The policy of the "sympathetic strike" is denned OS "a refusal o.n tiro part of men who may have no complaint against , their own conditions of employment to ! continue work because in the ordinary courso of their work they come in ixintact with goods in some way conneetcd with firms whose employees have been, locked out or are on strike." The Commissioners' verdict on it is:

"No community could exist if resort to tho 'sympathetic' strike became the general.policy of trado unionism, as owing to the'interdependence of different branches of industry, disputes affecting even a single individual would spread indefinitely/ Possibly, the report proceeds, it was with Hie hope that it might Tesult in a termination Of this method of industrial warfft.ro that a large numbef of firms in the city agreed to require their workpeople to sign the -following notice as a Condition of employment: ■ "1 hereby undertake to carry out all instructions given to mo by ur on behalf of rny employers; and, further, I agree to resign my membership of the Irish Transport, and General Workers' Union (if a member); and I further undertake that I will nol join of in any way support this unioft." Whatovcr might have been the intention of tho employers, this document .imposed Upon the signatories conditions which were contrary to individual liberty, and wlvieh no workman or body of worh-me.li could reasonably be cipected to accept. It Was obvious tliat the effort to secure signatures to- such a document would be likely to create a maximum 6$ ill-feeling. The opinion Was expressed that a continuance of tho same methods by both sides Would, have disastrous results; and that the struggle must be adjusted by consort rather than by Tesort to "tho extreme of 1 force.-."

Tho Commissioners procoodto put forward, as a basis for negotiation Between tho parties, a scheme for tho settlement of differences, both now and in the future. It contained the following features:— Conciliation Committees formed of hofli workers -and employers 4*> be appointed to deal with rntos of wages, hoirra of labour, Of conditions or service, other than matters of -management or discipline. Failing nrttuiil agreement, the- .matter in dispute to be brought before the Conciliation Commit-too under aft independent chairman .selected _ from Board of Trade panel, the •chairman I© be empowered to recommend such terms of settlement as lie thinks fair and reasonable, or, at the request of tho parties, to givo a decison upon the . point. Pending reference to the Conciliation Committee, and the committee's decision, sio strike or lock-Out to take place. . „ I No assistance, financial or otherwise, to be given by an. association to any of ' its members <>r to any affiliated 'association «ntefing upon a strike 'or lock-out in breath of the foregoing conditions. "Wo are not in favour of compulsory arbitration," added the. Commissioners, "and we do not suggest that the. ultimate ri<rlit to strike or to lock-ant should be abandoned." Dealing with the breach of agreements by either side, the report suggests "isolation" of the offenders as a remedy- -ilut when the Conciliation Committee litis decided that a compact has been violated no support should bo given by the ossoplft. tions concerned to tho parties responsible for the breach.— iyli.ieh is exactly tho fundamental cause of tho Dublin strike.