TIRED OF UNREST.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 September 1922, Page 5

TIRED OF UNREST.

WORKERS WANT STABILITY. MILLIONS WITHOUT WORK. PEACE IN EUROPE SOUGHT. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright Received Sept. 5, 53 pan. London. Sept 4. Mr. Walker, addressing the Trades Lnivn Congress, -aid the year had been one of unparalleled difficulty for the workers. He could not record triumphal prbgtjpss. In all directions there was the eternal menace of unemplovxnent, which the capitalists were strainin? eTer L nerve to push to the full limits. A million and a half were finding what it was to live on the Government dole. He implied it was impossible to say how many unemployed there were besides unregistered. No trade revival was in sight and unemployment would continue on an appalling scale. They would need much more faith in Cabinet committees than experience warranted them expecting. Speaking of conditions in Europe, Mr. Walker said he had been astonished that the workers had watched so patiently the weary succession of conferences on reparations, indemnities and territories, each shelving the real issue and each pretending to face difficulties by disregarding them. Common-sense had not yet won, but it must win in the end. The Governments were learning that no real peace could be maintained with swords, nor was military bullying a proper substitute for reasonable and reasoned settlements. He pleaded for a revision of the Versailles Treaty, the withdrawal of the Allied armies from the Rhine provinces, and the re-establishment of goodwill on the Continent. He could support no plan seeking to reduce Germany to a position of economic ■lavery, or -assist France to become the dictator of Europe. It was no use condemning French politicians, struggling with unbalanced budgets, who hungered to reestablish themselves as the Lords of Europe and who had to serve big capitalist interests. while no accusing finger was pointed at the so-called statesmen in Britain. What real evidence was there that the Coalitionists wanted a clean and honorable peace? “We want this business settled, and we are going to have it settled.” he declared. “I do not believe there is any prospect of a world settlement till the Coalition is driven from power.” The general council’s report recorded a membership of 5,127,308. compared with 6.417.940 last year. Delegates numbered 717, 90 less than last year. Mr. Walker’s speech made little impression on the delegates. When Miss Hartley, Mayoress of Southport, arrived for the purpose of officially welcoming the delegates, she was too late th hear Mr. Walker. She declared wages were better, holidays longer and more frequent, th* death-rate halved, the status of women improved, and the savings of workers vastly increased. She demanded to know why there was all this unrest. “What ails the world she asked. She said they were all trying to obtain something for nothing, and excessive selfishness was the root of all evil. They were asking for impossible things. The delegatee loudly cheered the speech. ■ —Aus.-Ji.Z. Cable Assn.