SEAMEN’S STRIKE AFTERMATH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 2995, 6 February 1926, Page 4

SEAMEN’S STRIKE AFTERMATH.

SUFFERING MEN, WOMEN AND

CHILDREN.

Whilst the recent British Seamen’s unofficial strike -was running the workers were buoyed up with the idea that it would come out alright. Judging from reports in the “Seaman,” official organ of the British Sailors’ and Firemen’s Union, it has come out very badly for hundreds of seafarers in England. The women and children have had to bear the brunt of acute suffering as an outcome of the strike, and today the men who are out of employment are cursing the Communist gang which led them into the trouble.

The men who are on strike in South Africa, Australia and elsewhere have been drifting home to Britain. They have learnt on their return to what an extent they were fooled. Cables had been sent to South Africa describing how the ships were held up at English ports and advising the strikers that if they only held out victory was sure. Since returning the men have learnt that these messages were simply deliberate lies concocted for the purpose of carrying on the Communist plot of class war. It was reported that the Transport Workers’ Union was taking up the strike and the Dockers were refusing to handle cargo; that the Shipyard workers refused to recondition any'ship; that “the Companies are offering terms.” All of these reports sent abroad were entirely false.

Now the deluded men are hunting for the liars who sent out the misleading statements. The leaders of the strike issued reports to the effect that there was plenty of money in hand. The wives, mothers and sisters of strikers are crying out for “help now, and there is none forthcoming from those who were in charge of the strike proceedings. They have besieged the Sailors’ and Firemen’s Union (Mr. Havelock Wilson, President) with piteous tales of distress' and appeals for aid. The strike leaders are being asked to explain about £3,000 gout astray and the absence of any bal-ance-sheet of the strike receipts and expenditure. It is stated in the “Seaman” of 11th. December 1025, that according to reports large sums of money were 'collected for the women and children but the distressed families had never received any payments. How the women feel about it is shown in this language from one of them to the Union Secretary at Liverpool.— “I understand that fellow Tommy Walsh is coming here from Australia to organize the seamen' of England. If he cannot organise the seamen better than he has organised the strikers in Australia, leaving me and my children to starve, he will get a very cold reception when he does arrive.”

She also said that she hoped that no ship would carry him, but if he ever did arrive, that the authorities should put him under lock and key, or send him to Russia. STRIKERS FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

Men of the steamers “Bellfield,” “Stornest,” and “Goathland” who arrived at Southampton from Capetown in the “Balmoral Castle” signed a statement (29 of them) to this effect: —

“Mr. J T. Welch, Chairman, Capetown Strike ''Committee, informed them that on arrival at Southampton Mr. Camion of the Marine Workers Union, or Mr. Tom Mann would hand them £5 each to take them to their respective homes. Mr. Cannon met them but said he knew nothin" about the matter of a payment. When asked about lodging he advised them to sleep at the Workhouse. This they refused to do. Later they saw Mr. Bob Spence, Branch Secretary of Havelock Wilson’s despised Union. He got in touch with his President with the result that each man received food and lodgings and o sum 'sufficient to take him to his home. There is a picture and a lesson for the workers. The Strike Union and Communist bosses could only offer *he men a doss in the workhouse. The Conservative Sailors’ and Firemen’s Union is found to be the real stand by in the time of trial. “A HUMAN DOCUMENT.”

The “Seaman” .11 th Dec. 1925, publishes this letter in a black border and the words in large type — “Bead it.”

54 Church Rd. Tilbury Docks, Essex, December 3rd 1925. To J. Haveloek-Wilson, C.H.C.B.E St. George’s Hall, London.

Dear Sir, I feel it my duty to write to you to thank you for the way in which the Union paid the money to me on the death of my husband, and at the same time to let you know one or two things concerning that wicked strike which was the cause of his death.

Frederick R. Brenton, my husband, was a very old seafarng man, having been to sea for 5G years, and as you know he was in receipt of the Old Age Pension when he was at home. His last voyage was on the R.M.S. “Orama,” which arrived in England on October 31st.

Whilst in Sydney, lie, with others, was forced out on strike. The first night they were out it was a bitter cold night, rain and sleet. They were put into a shed with a corrugated iron roof, and had to sleep on a concrete floor with a lump of concrete for a pillow. I need hardly state the results for my dear husband, anyway it broke his heart,

After all those years going to sea, and then be forced to such a thing. He simply lived to come back to me. The doctor has said he should have lived another 15 years, his lungs were perfect, although G 9 years of age, but that strike broke his heart. How proud of the fact Mr. W;\lsh and the other brutes must feel to think they have deprived me of the companionship of my dear one. He was a man to be proud of, an honest, straightforward, trustwor-thy-man, but he died brokenhearted. Trusting you will pardon me-writ-ing to you like this, but I feel I must let someone know what that strike did for me. ■ I am, Dear Sir, Yours respectively, (Signed) LOIS BRENTON Such are some of the human results of strike policy. The story carries its own lesson to all who think. Those who encourage I lie practices of striking are no friends of the workers. There must be better ways of adjusting industrial troubles than the strike method. The best leaders of labour are those who seek the methods of peace and reason (Contributed by the New Zealand Wfelfare League.)