HELPING THE ENEMY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 July 1942, Page 3

HELPING THE ENEMY

STRIKERS IN AUSTRALIA MR.’ CURTIN’S OUTSPOKEN CONDEMNATION. ATTACK ON IRRESPONSIBLES AMONG MINERS. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, July 19. The Prime Minister, Mr Curtin, has accused strikers in the ivar industries of assisting the enemy, lie said he made this accusation with a deep sense of his responsibility as Prime Minister. “Any worker in any democracy who today argues with authority regarding industrial conditions and fails to work at his appropriate job not only worsens the war effort, but is also acting in a way that assists our Nazi and Fascist enemies,” he declared. “Two or three snakes in the grass can poison the effort of a whole patriotic community.” Mr Curtin was opening an exhibition of Russian pictures organised to raise £25,000 to send sheepskins to Russia. “I would sooner see them at work in the factories and mines than sitting behind me,” said Mr Curtin when a speaker remarked that the workers were behind Mr Curtin and the Government.

Asked by a woman when there would be a Russian Minister in Australia, Mr Curtin said: “As soon as Russia wants one.” The Prime Minister’s uncompromising condemnation of strikers is regarded as especially significant because of his conference with officials of the Mines Federation on Tuesday. It is interpreted as paving the way for more drastic measures against the coal strikers. The Miners’ Federation president. Mr H. Wells, has declared his advocacy of a gloves-off policy against the irresponsible section causing the coal stoppages. More coal was needed and more coal would be produced, he said. Strong action must be taken against the irresponsible section causing the stoppages, whether mine workers or employers. A complaint that scores of old and middle-aged white-collar workers who have spent a lifetime behind shop counters are being conscripted to do hard pick-and-shovel work for which they are quite unsuited has been made by officials of the Australian Shop Assistants’ Union. To the suggestion that other more suitable war work might be found for these men, the Allied Works Council spokesman said: “The need for operational defence works is so great that every available man in the group allotted to us must be called up. This group embraces men from 45 years of age to 55.” Payment for Australian women employed in munitions on work previously done by males has been defined. They are to receive not less than 90 per cent, of the male rate of pay for similar work. No woman is required to lift more than 351 b.