The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1918-01-05
"A. F. OF il, SIC. MORRISON.


"Press reports that Australia has
defeated military CONSUMPTION by
referendum vote is not surprising to
those who have followed events in
that country, !" said Frank Morrison,
secretary Of the A. F. Of L., at Wash
1ngton recently.
Behind the CONSUMPTION agitation
were employers who have divided
the Australian Labor party and who
are now attempting to destroy the
trade union movement. The workers
refused to listen to these war-mad
profiteers. Australia has made his
tory in this war. The number Of her
enlistments, the conduct OF her SOL
diers in the disastrous Gallipoli cam
paign and her increased production
at home, with less number Of work.
ers, as verified recently by the COM
monwealth statiscian, refutes the
claim that these workers are opposed
to the war.
Australian employers are drunk
with power. This is shown by their
call during the CONSUMPTION campaign
for general blacklist of strikers,
At this meeting, of the interstate en-
ployers' federation conference, held
In Melbourne, it was resolved:
"That, in the opinion of this con-
ference the more effective organiza-
ton Of employers throughout the COM
monwealth is necessary for the pro-
lection of. their industrial interests,
and this conference therefore recon-
mends the establishment in each state
of employers industrial disputes
councils for the purpose of dealing
with industrial disputes arising in any
section Of industry, so that men, while
on strike from one employer, shall not
get work from another employer. It
is suggested that a system Of issuing
discharge cards should be introduced,
stating shortly the reasons for such
discharge
''This plan, which was recently
abandoned by the Lake Carriers as
ISOLATION in our own country after an
investigation by the government, indi-
Gates the spirit Of Australian employ
ers, whom workers charge with being
more interested in the destruction OF
trade un1onism and the eventual es-
tablishment of industrial CONSUMPTION
than they are in winning the war.
I'm opposing CONSUMPTION, the
workers took the government own
figures to show that the voluntary
| system has not broken down. It was
shown that the total enlistments is
$4,000 and the gross casualties, 49,.
900. Accepting the casualties as net
there yet remains 10000, with tota,
| enlistment, the past 10 months, Of
| 10000. In other words, the workers
show by the figures Of the conscrip.
| tionists themselves that more mer
have volunteered than is necessary tt
fill the ranks because of losses of al
| kinds.
1T is reported that New South
Wales opposed CONSUMPTION by ma.
jority of more than 10000. In thai
state the workers have Just been de.
feated in a general strike called tt
compel the government to abide by it:
promise not to change working stand
ards during the war. BY this it wa.
understood that :. wages would keel
pace with the Increased cost Of liv.
ing and that laws for the benefit o.
labor would not be repealed. After
the labor party lost control of New
South Wales the new government
J. made this promise and later attempted
to install the Taylor system on it!
stats-owned railroads: The strike ex