BRITISH SEAMEN

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3860, 20 October 1928, Page 1

BRITISH SEAMEN

TALK OF NEW UNION. STATEMENT BY MR HAVELOCK WILSON. LONDON, Oct. 18. “Good old Tiger,” was the delegates’ greeting to Mr Havelock Wilson when the latter took the chair at the annual meeting oi' the National Union of Seamen. In his presidential address, Mr Wilson stated that the union in the past year had been threatened with all kinds of pains and penalties. Nevertheless, it was still much alive, it had committed no crime, and had pursued an intelligent commonsense policy. They had discovered from experience that politics was a dirty game. They had broken away from politics a year ago, which had resulted in the union’s income being increased £IOOO per week. The decision had not been to the union. What right had they when, either by persuasion or force, they induced a man to\Jjoiii a trade union to dictate to h.iffi what should be the colour of his polities? There had been plots" and schemes to disrupt the Seamen’s Union. Referring to the expulsion of the union from the Trades Union Congress Mr Wilson stated that the instigators were Communists, and a minority movement man saying that she could not get justice from the Seamen s Union was a liar. There was no tyranny in the union. © Mr Wilson 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 had made a bigger mess than ever. The.v had elected Communists right and left to till high positions. _ . It was the Seamen’s Union which should have been credited with purging the Labour movement of blacklegs and scally wags. “We are not afraid of the Communists or anyone else,” said Mr Wilson. “Now comes the mighty Napoleon, Mr Ernest Bevin, who says that he is going to put the seamen right—got rid of all corruption and wipe out this union in a few weeks. The shipowners once had the same idea, but after spending thousands they com luded that it was a waste and extravagance to fight us, and that commonsense and goodwill on both sides was the best policy. “There had never been more unity and determination among the seamen than now. If we are forced to fight we will give them all they want.” Numerous resolutions on the agenda viewed with alarm Mr Wilson’s proposed retirement from the presidency. Many delegates expressed the opinion that such a course would be suicidal at this juncture. It was essential that he should remain on the bridge and preserve the, continuity of policy ami direct operations. Mr Wilson said that lie would sen-' ously consider their . -desire that her should remain in office. .. . A resolution was carried unanpumisly declining to accept his resignation.

Rumours have been current lately in Britain that, following the expulsion of the National Union of Seamen from tlio Trades Union Congress, the Transport General Workers’ Union will shortly open a campaign for flip organisation of a marine workers’ trade union. Leaders are troubled, because there is now no organisation representing the seamen affiliated willi the congress. The T.U.C. General Council Organisation Committee is earnestly considering the whole seamen’s question. Mr Edmond Cathery, the acting general secretary, stated recently that, the National Union of Seamen had been established for 40 years, and was recognised by important persons in the shipping -industry. Tf any other union tries to organise the seamen it had something very big to tackle. “Certainly,” lie added, “we will not take it lying down; we will fight anybody and everybody.”