CHAIN OF LABOR DAILIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 April 1921, Page 3

CHAIN OF LABOR DAILIES.

AUSTRALIAN PROPOSAL TO RAISE £360,000. Sydney, March 30. A conference representing different Labor newspaper interests was held in Sydney recently, and it was decided to raise ’£360,000, if possible, wherewith to establish a chain of Labor dailies throughout the Commonwealth. The following daily newspapers have already been established in the Labor interests:—The World, Sydney—building erected and machinery in position since 1914, but publication still delayed for various reasons; The World, Hobart; The Worker, Perth —money raised for a daily which is to be produced presently; the Standard, Brisbane; the Echo, Ballarat; the Daily Herald, Adelaide; 4 Truth, Broken Hill.

It was pointed out that in Western Australia the workers had raised a substantial sum for a Labor daily, and that Adelaide already has one. A scheme has been mapped out for a Labor daily in Melbourne, either by the transference of the Ballarat Echo to Melbourne, or the production of an additional paper in Melbourne. In Sydney everything was practically in readiness for the establishment of a daily, and in Queensland the Standard was proving an effective organ. The workers were turning out their own paper in Port Darwin and in Broken Hill.

It was estimated that there were approximately 650,000 trades unionists in Australia. Ten shillings each from every unionist would provide sufficient to establish a chain of Labor dailies which would fight for the Labor cause. For £1 per unionist the scheme would be placed beyond any fear of failure. It was estimated that a chain of papers would have a daily circulation of 750,000. It was finally decided to make an effort to raise £360.000. and especially to appeal to the A.W.U., the biggest and most powerful union in Australia, which practically established the World, in Sydney.

The A.W.U. authorised a levy on all its if other unions would do the same. The whole matter will be dealt with an a 11-Australian conference of trade union delegates at Melbourne in June next.