DIRECT ACTION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 300, 15 September 1919, Page 5

DIRECT ACTION

ANOTHER DEBATE AT TRADE UNION CONGRESS THE CHOICE OF WEAPONS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright London, September 11. At tho Trade Union Congress Mr. Shaw (Textile Workers' Union) proposed motion declaring against industrial action puroly in political matters. The congress shelved the matter by voting "tho previous question" by 2,255,000 votes- to 2.088,000. Mr. Shaw's motion represented the opinion of tho General Purposes Committee, but it surprised the congress. Mr. J. 11. Thomas, in a remarkable speech, said he did not believe that a single trade union had given a mandate in favour of direct, action. The real problem was whether the Labour Party should use the industrial weapon as distinct from the political. The two weapons were irreconcilable. . If a new policy were ndooted. the Parliamentary ' Lal'oui Party should be abolished. He believed there i would be a general election in a few months, when Labour would have such a chance as it had never had liefore. He begged the congress not to give a lever to the opponents of Labour ■which would bo ruinous to every Labour candidate. Mr. l'\ Hodges (secretary of the Miners' Federation) denied that the direct action movement desired to establish a Soviet Government. "Tho antagonism between political and direct action," lie said, "will reach a pinnacle when the working classes challenge • the existence of the capitalist system." Ulr. Arthur Henderson, M.P., made an impassioned appeal to the congress' to terminate the Government's life as speedily as possible. It would be o calamity, ho said, to drop the weapon of political action, which should be tried.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.