The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 1927. THE LOSER PAYS.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 January 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, JANUARY 3, 1927. THE LOSER PAYS.

I The imposition by the British National Union of Ruilwayinen of a weekly I cry of threepence to restore the depleted funds of the union will not surprise those, says a northern paper, who have followed the reactions of the general strike and the coal trouble. When, a I'e.w weeks ago. the miners’ leaders in their desperation ap]>ealod to other unions to. declare an embargo on foreign coal, Air J. If. Thomas bluntly told them that the railwaymcn were already staggering under a load of debt and unemployment, and could fit) no more. The ofi'oot of this year’s troubles on many of the unions lias been ruinous. The funds of the Miners’ Unions soon disappeared. The National Union of Railwayman, with assets worth two millions, was the richest labour organisation in Britain, but all liquid funds have gone In meeting general strike costs and subsequent unemployment benefit, and buildings and securities are heavily mortgaged. Many unions are in a similar plight, and their losses aggregate millions The position of the unions of unskilled workers is particularly serious, for a member’s contribution rarely exceeds sixpence a week, and it is estimated that it will take years to restore finance to the old level. The tragedy of these losses is patent. Nobody is a penny better off for the general strike or the coal stoppage. Wherever one looks there is nothing but loss. Invested in industrial enterprise, these dissipated union funds would have given Labour an opportunity to show what it could do in constructive economic policy. Extremists rejoice at the injury done to Capital, but says the London correspondent of the “Christian Science Monitor,” “'saner Labour leaders and workers are contemplating ruefully the disastrous effect on the whole trade union movement. There has lieen a heavy loss ill membership, and the reserve funds. accumulated laboriously by thrift and sacrifice on the part of millions of workers, have been depleted in half a year.” It is no wonder that moderate leaders are gravely reviewing the position. Between 191 D and 192-s—that is. exclusive of the year’s troubles—the loss of working time caused by disputes was 194,000.000 working days. About half these disputes were .■fettled by compromise, and where there was defeat a desire for retaliation was kindled. The folly of industrial war should be plain to all. and well may Mr Appleton, secretary of the General Federation of Trade Unions, say that “at no period in its history has the trade union movement had so great a chance for taking stock as at present.” There is a. distinct movement for peace, and if it grows and is able to introduce a constructive policy of co-operation with Capital, such as is a marked feature of American industrialism to-day, it will mean the dawn of a new industrial era.