CHEVALIERS OF INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 26, 26 October 1920, Page 10

CHEVALIERS OF INDUSTRY

a v OUTSPOKEN TRADE UNION OFFICIAL. •

Iu the annual report of the Steam Engine Makers' Society, which has* headquarters in Manchester, the » Recretary (Mr. W. F. Dawtrny) gives interesting review of the c\ents of last year, which he describes as having been marked throughout by industrial unrest. .This unrest, lie states was of en fanned into flame, and the bona-fide trade unionist cxploited-and still 111010 often assisted by his own ai>athy-b.Y a nmly plentiful brood of political and industrial adventurers who seem to bo ever on look-out ior trouble, and whose tra, e unionist pedigree and claims might, juth advantage, be more carefully scrutinised, apart from their own impudent pretensions that appear to pass "}^ tor little if any question by those nnose inexperience' and better nature they so readily trade upon." wi- n <l Tlie moulders' dispute, which lasted four months, placed ' many thousands of engineers 011 the streets, and thousands more were, compelled to work from hand-to-mouth on short time, bringing acute suffering to many families aid homes without even a voice on the ments of the struggle in whic\thcy vote so vitally affected." . , After referring to the open sore and menace" resulting from the failure of negotiations with the employers in the industry to come to a national ment on various conditions of cn ploiment, Mr. Dawtrey continues:- I should, he lacking in my duty were I not to draw the attention of my fellow-mem-SerT to a few disagreed, c if not ugly facts. There are difficulties ahead to be surmounted, as indeed they must be. Wo possess in this country a vast army of trade unionists, and amalgamation and federation are. binding us more closely every day. We are.within a mensurable distance of a universa eight-houi day, together with the of sweated industries, and with them sweating wages. Day by day we are being brought into closer relationship witli 'the great co-operative movement and , with the Labour Party forces, that may bn made of incalculable benefit) to the united workers of the country. But we have grievous faults that must be remedied Bitterness and acrimony are far too rife among those whoso motto is brotherhood. The discipline iy our movement is -sadly deficiont-and let none disguise from -themselves that officials and executive make mistakes. But unofficial strikes, repudiation of agreements, and 1 direct action so-called for objects quite outside trade unionism are the very worst of methods m dealing with our difficulties. Victories won that way are dearly bought, and, worse still, imiiair public confidence 111 the honour and integrity of trade unionists. We have earned a place, after many bitter strangles, in the respect of the nation. Let. "11s not throw it away when our hopes are brightest.."