THE TRADES UNIONS CONGRESS.

Taihape Daily Times, 12 September 1919, Page 5

THE TRADES UNIONS CONGRESS.

LONDON, Sept. 10. The Trades’ Dnion Congress, by 1,478,000 votes fo 75,000, carried Mr Smillie's resolution pledging Congress to co-operate with the Miners’ Federation and compel the Government to adopt the nationalisation of mines.

NATIONALISATION OF MINES

AN IMPORTANT RESOLUTION.

Received 10.10 a.m. LONDON, Sept. 11. Mr Robert Smillie’s motion pledges the Parliamentary Committee to convene a special Congress to decide what action should be taken to compel the Government to act in th event of nationalisation being refused. Mr Smillie said: “There is nothing of a syndicalist character in our claims at the present time; but the time may come when industries will advance a further step. I do not doubt if the miners were advised, that they would stop every mine in the country until the mines were nationalised. B*ut that would mean the stoppage of all industries dependent upon coal, and w T e do not want to do it ” N

Mr Thomas, in .seconding the motion, admitted that State ownership of railways in the war period had created a bad impression upon the public, due to a 50 per cent increase in fares, ( but that was not what State ownership would be. Mr Thomas added: <T I believe the Government will refuse nationalisation, but State ownership of mines is interdependent with the prosperity of country.”

Mr Havelock Wilson opposed the resolution. lie said State officials were not' proper people to manage the industry.

The Congress takes, a straight-out vote on Friday on the subject oC direct action.