UNIONS APPROVE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 453, 7 September 1928, Page 1

UNIONS APPROVE

COUNCIL AND MOND PLAN

COOK FAINTS AFTER SPEECH

OVERWHELMING MAJORITY

“BJAVE I beaten them?” asked Mr. A. J. Cook, the miners’ *•* secretary, coming- to after fainting during a speech in which he attacked the Trades Union Council for cooperating in the Mond industrial-peace scheme. The reply must have disappointed him, for the Congress, by a great majority, supported the action of the council. It was a significant and important discussion. (United P.A.—By 'Telegraph — Copyright) - (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) (United Service)

Reed. 9.5 a.m. LONDON, Thursday. When the Trade Union Congress debated the Mond industrial peace scheme, Mr. Walter Citrine, secretary of the congress, defended the General Council for accepting the Mond invitation. to co-operate. It was nonsense to say that the employers had set a trap to catch the workers. The council only acted in accordance with the world-wide development of trade unionism. Labour demanded a voice in the control of industry, and the employers conceded it. Mr. Brownlie, for the engineers, moved an amendment condemning the council for acting unconstitutionally in referring the matter to the executives of the various unions for consideration, and also directing the General Council not to proceed further in the meantime.

Mr. George Hicks, last year’s president, representing the building trade workers, supported the amendment. He denied that it was intended to censure the council, but every union and every member of each should have been consulted first.

Mr. J. R. Clynes favoured continuance of the negotiations. It would he priceless if a joint committee were established in the coal industry, in order to see the industry safely through the present crisis with the least hardship to the workers. Mr. A. J. Cook, the miners’ secretary, in an Impassioned half-hour speech, said the Labour leaders were do'ing their best, but they were trying to defeat invincible economic, l laws. There had been no change in the employers’ policy since the conversations began. The employers were fools. The workers must protect themselves, not through alliances, but through their owu independent structure.

At the conclusion of his speech, Mr. Cook staggered from the rostrum and fainted. He recovered in the waiting rqom, where his first words on regaining consciousness were: “Have i beaten them?”

Mr. Herbert Smith, the miners’ president, said briefly that he was there to tell them that his federation considered the council did right in accepting the employers’ invitation, and that it had hitherto acted correctly. The amendment was defeated on a card vote by 2,921,000 to 768,000, and the report of the council was adopted by 3,075,000 to 566,000.