LABOR'S THREAT.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1920, Page 5

LABOR'S THREAT.

TO PARALYSE INDUSTRY. IF BRITAIN GOES TO WAR. Br T«l«tnph.—PrtH Asia.—Capytlfht. Received August 10, 8.40 p.m. London, August 10. The unanimous decision of the joint political and industrial labor organisations to declare a general strike if Britain re-instates the blockade against Russia is an unprecedented action in the history of the Labor movement. It means that if Britain decides to institute War measures against Russia a National Congress of Trade Unions will be held within a few hours to declare an immediate general strike, Involving six million workers. > Sectional Labor protests continue, and there is every indication that the great mass of the working population is un'ted behind the leaders. The "Council of Action" appointed by the conference arranged an interview with Mr. Ltcyd George to-day.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

"WAR BEING ENGINEERED." LABOR'S EMPHATIC WARNING. ALL ITS FORCES UNITED. Received August 10, 11.20 p.m. London, August 9. The Labor Conference, held in the House of Commons, passed the following resolutions: "That this joint conference representing the Trades Union Congress, the Labor Party, and the Parliamentary Labor Party, feels certain a war is being engineered between the Allied Powers and Soviet Russia, over Poland, and declares that such a war is an intolerable crime against human* ity, and warns the Government that the whole industrial power of organised workers will be -used to defeat this w,ar." ' "That the executive committees of , affiliated organisations throughout the country be summoned to hold themselves ready to proceed immediately to London for a national conference." "That they be advised to instruct members to down tools on instructions from that-national conference." "That a council be immediately constituted to take such steps as necessary to carry this decision into effect." This decision, is unquestionably an ultimatum to the Government that a new war will mean a general strike all over the country. A prominent Laborite declares the decision is not only a threat, but thS decision will materialise if tiecessarv.

Considerable enthusiasm prevailed at the conference following the adoption of the resolution. The extreme wing urged immediate "direct action", but the moderates, although equally favoring a firm attitude, secured the adoption of more constitutional procedure.—Tieuter Service.