The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-14
AFRICAN UNIONS
MEET IN CONGRESS
south African Industrial Federation
Discusses Native Problem
and Naturalization Of
Basic Industries

Bloemfontein. South Africa-The
congress of the South African Indus
trial Federation NEW name of the
| Federation of Trades) opened at
Bioemfontein on May 5 under the
Craftsmanship Of Forester Brown The
fde1egates, according to the report ap-
pearing in The Friend. Bloemfontein.
represented the Miners union. the
.Amalgamated Society Of Engineers. the
eduction Workers union, the Building
Workers Industrial union. the Carpen-
tiers and Joiners' society and twenty
three other unions, including the Ma
tional Railway and Harbor Services
union. and the Women's league
! Mr.. Buxton. representative of the
/ Coachhuilders society, said he thought
! the time had come when pressure
should be put on the government to
create new industries where OPENINGS
existed for such One of the draw
/ hacks In the coachbuilding industry
was cheap colonial competition of the
| cope, especially in Paarl district where
! wages were rs Cd a day of ten hours
/ lie thought they should organize 80
/ that other centers could support any
movement for the elimination OF this
cheap labor.
/ Mr.. Blake. speaking as representa-
/ tive OF the Building Workers Industrial
/ uifOH, Shlu ms tTaUt nau hseH IN the
! vanguard OF movement for limitation
OF hours. II there had been the same
/ continued action such as an organized
/ strike of transportation workers who
! held key position. the builders might
/ have won the day instead OF having
| been forced to go in for prolonged
sectional strike. Government interven-
| ton would do no good; better condi-
tons could only be obtained by a solid :
Of n thct, Two
Euilders also thought there should be
recasting Of the federation on the
| lines that obtained in Australia With
regard to colored labor. organized
bodies should be allowed to organize
/ their own particular requirements
Minimum Wage.
| The ice-chairman. Mr. Atkins, of
the Amalgamated Society Of Engineers,
! strongly advocated for first considera-
| and maximum week. The time had
passed when life was to be measured
| in terms Of pounds. shillings and
! pence. They must, as an organized
body. keep on pressing their claims.
The miners had got a reduction OF for
| ty-eight hours per week. and there
was feeling among them that even
row the hours were too long.
Mr.. Balm, Amaigamated Society OF
Engineers, expressed the view that
other questions paled before the big
question of control and ownership of
/ means OF production in the hands OF
the people, This. he thought, was the
! moment when the demand should be
made. Any strike which did not end
in lessening the control Of the CAPT
talist failed in its object. Nothing in
this country would help the workers
except the forcing of the government
Il nationalixe not only the mines, but
all basic industries. The world was
very fair. and there was any amount
of happiness in It for them all IL they
could remove the obstacle which was
the production OF things for profit in :
stead of use Ever since the gold in
dustry started in the country It had
not been possible for man TO lead
anything like clean and healthy life
In it, and an industry which did not af-
ford such conditions had no right to
exist
Mr.. G. 3. Tyler, Building Workeds'
Industrial Union, said he did not
think minimum wage and maximum
number OF hours would overcime diff
ficulties. There would be enough for
all II socity were properly organized.
Mr.. Morgan. Amalgamated Society
OF Engineers, said that the great fear
on the Rand was the unemployed, but
whore would they stand II such fear