INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1919, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

AN APPEAL TO WORKERS. TO RETURN TO SANITY. AND SAVE THEMSELVES %ND THE NATION. By Telegraph— Press .Assn.—Copyright. Received Aug. 2ti, 1 a.m. London, Aug. 24. The quarterly Teport of the General Federation of Trades Unions contain* a warning by the management committee, signed by Mr. Appleton. It says that the period from November to May next will bo fateful, perhaps tragic, unless sanity returns and production increases. Avoidable strikes have been precipitated, and union funds needlessly dissipated. Some strikes were distinctly of political origin. Such strikes must fail or end in revolution. They were not against the capitalist, but against the community. Against such striken the Government must protect the people or surrender its functions. In view of the national situation ami the possibility of a grave shortage, it is imperative that trades unions should face the facts that the war is over, that competition is forcefully operating, that food and raw material must be brought from countries over whose merchants our Government has no control, and that these commodities must be paid for in goods and not in paper.—Reuter. A LOCK-OUT ORDERED. CO-OPERATIVE MEN STRIKE. Received Aug. 25, 10.5 p.m. London, Aug. 24. The employees of the co-operative trading societies in North England have struck, demanding a 44-hour week and increased wages. The directors, themselves unionists, ordered a lock-out involving 30,000, beginning on the 27th. Over 300 societies and 1,500,000 members are involved. —United Service. COMBATTING STRIKES. NATIONAL FREEDOM FORCE. London, Aug. 23. Lord Wreiibury, in a letter to The Times, closely examines the tendencies of advanced unionism. He refers to its increasmg power, repeated demands, and political pressure. He suggests the immediate formation of a permanent national freedom force, non-political and drawn from all classes, prepared to maintain indispensable services when strikers representing, perhaps, one-twentieth of the population threaten a stoppage in order to impose economically ruinous terms.

The Times believes that people are getting very weary of the interminable demands and threats, and are likely to heartily agree with Lord Wrenbnry* but questions the opportuneness of immediate action, which is likely to be construed as a challenge to unionism, The moderate unionists are now apparently reasserting themselves, and should be given a chance of stabilising the position.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

NIGHT BAKING NOT DESIRED. Sydney, Aug. 25. The bakers have given fourteen days' notice of tlioir intention to strike as a protest against the proposed introduction of night baking. TRADES UNION CONGRESS. Received Aug. 25, 2.55 p.m. London, Aug. 24. Mr. Smillie, in an interview, stated that the Miners' Federation had decided to ask the Trades Union Congress, to be held in September, to make nationalisation a test question involving the interests of the whole of organised Labor.— Reuter.