The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-12-03
POWEROF UNIONS
IN AUSTRALIA IS
. BROKENBYSTRIKE

4 new way 90 deal with strikes in
wartime IL contained In the late re-
ports Of labor troubles in Australia
received BY Sir George Reid, ex-prims
minister, who has come to this coun-
try 70 lecture on international relar
tionh BrIEades Of volunteers. many
Of them from the country districts,
look the pisces Of the strikers in or
DER that industries closely related TO
the prosecution Of the war might not
be tied up. As q consequence, accord
ing to Sir George, trade unionism In
Australia has sunk to q lower ebb Of
bower and prestige than ever before
The government Of New South
wales had occasion to inquire into the
kost Of production Of certain articles
produced in the government tr1mway
Workshops in Sydney" he said. THE
Results Of the inquiry were so start
bnE AZ to the high cost that the chief
commissioner Of railways and tram
Ways decided TO introduce into the
framUAy shops the card system. un-
Der which the work each man does is
ehScked up and recorded.
Men Defy GovsrnAent.
: The workmen opposed this. The
HoTernmSnt then offered to the men
review Of the card system, at the end
u three months OF trial. by Judges
who should inquire into the working |
Sf the plan, and II the results shown |
np 70 that time were not found to be
81 value, then the system was to be
nodined or repealed
ssThs men refused this OFFER and de-
handed that the judges be appointed
at once. Upon the government not
aeesding TO this, the tramway shop
workers struck, and sympathetic
strikes followed IN the operating
service Of the government-owned
tramway and railway lines, in the
coal mines, transport unions-feirght
handlers, I think you call them-gas
and electric trades, and in other In
dustries,
This was the beginning, which I
have related SO that there could be an
understanding Of the situation There
followed . bitter struggle, with the
result that the strikes have been
smashed and the labor Unions Grip
pied Not much information as to
this struggle was permitted to leave
Australia, but knowledge OF how the
defeat Of the strikes was brought
about has reached me in the last few
days, and as they are now over 1 see
no reason for Withholding any new
information have.
UnIonIsm Suffered.
SIThS strikes were broken by an ap-
peal TO the producers, to the men In
the producing centers in the interior,
to come to the aid OF the country |
IN its need. In response volunteer
workers, many of them from the
farming districts, formed themselves
into brigAdSs and, protected by the
government, went to work in indus |
tries 1t Q stAndEtill or crippled by
the strikers. After great public in
convanisncO and less the strikes were
smashed. and trade unionism in Aus
tralin received fits hardest blow.
II look upon these occurrences
VIII great regret. The men VINO
made trade uniOnism in Australia
renee and sagAcity. Nowadays, the
extremists seem to have the upper
hAnd and to have brought this legtti-
mate principle into disgrace. On ac-
count Of this the labor men have
lost their political supremacy and,
TO . certain extent, their prestige /
also. Il win take them some time
70 get back % the higher levels to
which trade unionisfn had risen.
what paakos this most reGrettable
n that tfads unionists as indiViduals,
with few Oxoephons, are q highly
legal and decent set OF men. Until
they purge themselves Of the !. W. W.