Blood Bath For Workers

Hokitika Guardian, 20 April 1922, Page 4

Blood Bath For Workers

N..S.W. LABOUR COUNCIL’S'ASTONISHING ATTITUDE.

SYDNEY, March 2!)

Sydney was startled a and the Labour Government \v«s nut by any means cheered, by tlie fanatic N e w youth Wales Labour Council bursting vut with a. wild rigmarole a few days before election day about the lt <l nd outbreak. Remarking as a preface in a resolution or prommciameuto, that it represents 100,000 trades unionists, it expressed its “whole-hearted sympathy” with the South African trades unionists in the fight “against the armed forces of capitalism,” expressed its determination to “render them any support that may he possible,” and pledged it- 1 self to work unceasingly for “the overthrow of the soulless system which relics on organised white terror to keep the working class in subjection.” ]<ui. thci more, said the fire-eaters, the Council realised that “to-morrow it will be' the Australian workers who will receive ' their first blood hath at the hands of 1 renzied capitalism.” b .<■ working men of New South ; Wall’s have much the same opinion of t the Labour Council and others, for the ! outburst was on a par with the general [ run of bizarre statements that come

from that quarter. The Council is a strangely positioned body. It stands as the administrative head or executive of trades unions. It speaks by virtue of its title, but not much else, for the unionists, when they do express an opinion about it— which is seldom—do so with the greatest contempt It is affiliated with the Third International of .Moscow, hut whether the few unions that still remain under its authority know what that may really moan is doubtful The newspapers reporting il c tnfoment about the Hand rehell on is., e ihe same day the South African ] ii! fii r Kederatii n’s i epudi -turn of the general, strike at Johannesburg, and also its ie; udiatiou of the armed rising. A-. Ut'ltii’e mentioi.e. 1, Sydney was a fiaie stas Ced on leading the vU)lcr.t t.oiii< in u hieli i’dmi.ation was being e ] res.-ed by somebody in its midst, but probably t'e Government was more so, as the Council had declared itself to ho supporting the Labour Government em! its candidates. It was bad oleotion material to be banded out at such a ii:itrlure, and no doubt has been a rout i ibid ing factor in bringing about liu- ovet throw of tit ' Government.