SEAMAN’S CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 19 October 1928, Page 5

SEAMAN’S CONFERENCE

HAVELOCK WILSON GREETED

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright).

(Received this day at 10.30. a.m.) LONDON, October 18.

“ Good old Tiger! ” was the delegates greeting to Havelock Wilson, on taking the chair at the National Union of Seamen’s annual meteing.

In his presidential address, he said, the union in the past year had been threatened with all kinds of pains and penalties; nevertheless it was still much alive and had committed no crime, but had pursued an intelligent common-sense policy. They had discovered from experience that politics was a dirty game, and they had quitted a year ago, resulting in the Union’s income being increased by £I,OOO. Really the decision had not been detrimental to the union. What right had -they, when either by persuasion or force they induced a. man to join a trade union and to dictate to him what should be the colour of his politics P There had been plots and schemes to disrupt the Seamen’s Union.

Referring to the expulsion from the Trades Union Congress, Mr Wilson said the instigators were the Communists and the Minority Movement. The man saying he could not get justice from the Seamen’s Union was a liar. There was no tyranny in the Union. He declared that no inquiry had been held by the Trades Union Congress into the circumstances of disaffiliation of the Seamen’s Union.

The Trades Union Congress had said,

' We are going to clean up the Labour movement,” but it made a biggei mess than ever. They had elected Communists, right and left, to fill high positions. It was the Seamen’s Union which should have been credited u ith purging the Labour movement of blacklegs and scallywags. “ We are not afraid of Communists or anyone else,” be said. “ Now comes the mighty Napolean, Ernest Bevin, who says be is going to put tbe seamen right down and get rid of' all corruption and wipe out this Union in a few weeks. The shipowners once had the same idea, but after spending thousands, concluded it was a waste and extravgance to fight us. and common-sense and goodwill on both sides was the best policy. There has never been more unity and determination among seamen than now. If we are forced to fight, give them all they want.” ' Numerous resolutions on the agenda were viewed with alarm. Mr W ilson proposed his retirement from the presidency, but many delegates expressed tbe opinion that such a course would be suicidal at this juncture. It was essentia] that he should remain on tbe bridge and preserve the continuity of their policy and direct operations. i , Mr Wilson said he would seriously consider their desire that he should remain in office .

A resolution was carried unanimously declining to accept his resignation.