THE WAR EFFORT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24424, 9 October 1940, Page 8

THE WAR EFFORT

TRADE UNIONS’ ATTITUDE FULL CONTRIBUTIONS * FIGHTING AN EVIL THING ” (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) RUGBY, Oct. 7. “I regard the past year’s work with pride and satisfaction. We have surrendered or compromised no vital trade union interest. On the contrary, we have secured for trade union principles a fuller measure of recognition and a more extended application of these principles, and, I believe, a more generous understanding 'and appreciation of them than ever before.” These words were spoken to 650 delegates attending the Trade Union Congress by, the president, Mr William Holmes. The attitude of organised labour in Britain towards the prosecution of the war was unequivocally expressed: “Against the organised powers of evil in the assault upon our freedom and life, the entire resources of our nation and the Commonwealth, of British Nations have been mobilised, and we can claim that the trade unions represented in this assembly have made their full contributions to the war effort. No further revelation than we have had of the malignant cruelty, treachery and inhumanity of the forces arrayed against us can do more than strengthen our resolves. It cannot terrorise us or make us flinch. We know now beyond a shadow of doubt,” Mr Holmes said, “if any of us doubted it before, that we are fighting an evil thing. It makes war by the vilest means; it practises coldblooded cruelty and frightfulness as a system; it spares nothing—neither . woman, babies, cripples, \ nor aged * peoole in the centres of civilian population, nor the sick in the hospitals, nor the helpless children moving to places of safety across the stormy seas.

Rebuilding After the War “Even of greater importance than the contribution our movement is now making to the effective organisation of the nation’s war effort is the service it will be called upon to give in rebuilding the life of the nation after the war. Not only will there be a rebuilding of the material structure of our life, but there must also be a guarantee in our social and economic arrangements that the human needs of every man, woman, and child shall be satisfied, that the food, clothing, and shelter which a properly-organised industrial social order can amply provide shall be available to all, and that freedom of though and speech and association shall be reaffirmed and safeguarded.” Sir Walter Citrine said the General Council realised that the outcome of the war would determine whether the trades union movement as they had known it would continue or would be extinguished, and all the way through the council had tried to remember that as part of the nation it was their duty to concentrate as much as they could on the sucpessful prosecution of the war. Tne decision to enter the Government was made by Labour freely of its own choice from its own interest. In reference to the present Coalition Government, Sir Walter said the’. General Council had tried to preserve an attitude of collaboration, and had been able very greatly to shape the policy of the present Government by persistent representation to its colleagues who held Ministerial posts.

Assisting the Homeless Referring to the many in this country who have literally lost all they possess, Mr W. Holmes declared that it was the nation’s bounden duty to provide alternative accoms modation for those rendered homeless. “People who go to shelters spend hours in them, and must obtain hot drinks and food,” he said. “When they are able to leave the shelters many go straight to work without a chance of returning home for a meal.” The problem of better . arrangements for shelters and safer refuges was not insoluble.