The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1919-12-13
SOUTH AFRICANS
PLACE FAITH IN
ECONOMIC POW Err
Trade Unions While Not 0pDosed
to Politics, Don't Bank on
itfor Success.

washington, Dec. 11.-Trade union
ism in British South Africa is free
from all political parties-labor and
otherwise-and this has been found to
be the best policy, said A. Crawford,
general secretary of the South Afri-
can industrial federation. The trade
unionist is representing the workers
OF South Africa at the international
labor conference.
There is a labor party in our coun-
try" said Secretary Crowford, land
in some of our Industrial centers there
is strong sentiment for it, but the
industrial federation, through it's eco
nomic methods, and the development
OF public opinion, is the workers
strongest force. We do not fight the
political labor party but we reserve
the right to nominate trade union
candidates in opposition to any and
every political party, and we have
done so even in opposition to the
labor party in few municipal e1ec-
lions where we were dissatisfied with
certain policies of the labor party
For 10 years prior to the war trade
unions affiliated with the political
labor party. It was found, however,
that this prevented workers who in
sisted on political independence from
joining the trade unions.
This condition was illustrated al.
the beginning Of the late war when
the British element LETT the gold mines
to- enter the war. Their places were
taken by Dutch workers, largely re-
cruited from the farms. Before the
war 80 per cent of these miners were
British and 20 per cent were Dutch.
Before the end Of the war these per-
centages were reversed.
The Dutch element hold political
allegiance to Dutch national parties
and the remaining British miners
realized that if the union continued
an affiliate with the political labor
party the Dutch miners would organ
ize a dual labor union based ON Do
litical independence. Rather than
have this division on the economic
field, the miners union withdrew
from the labor party. We are now
, in the position T understand the
American trade union movement
favors-if workers want to align with
a labor or other political party, that
is their right, but the trade union or
CARNATIONS must remain non-parti-
san.
1--WE know nothing Of labor injunc-
tons in our country In the past few
years the policy Of our government
IN industrial issues has been d1plo-
matte. BY this T mean cancellation
and mediation.
I'm 1919 the government passed a
law against strikes similar to the
present Canadian law that applies to
public utilities and the one I UNDER
stand exists in Colorado. In big
strike of miners in July, 1913, in
which Fl workers were killed, this law
was defied and although it remains
on the statute books{ it is ignored
by everyone. I was one Of the men
deported because Of that strike, but
times have changed since 1918.
Recently there has been formed q
labor advisory board consisting Of two
workers nominated by the South Afri-
can industrial federation, two employ
ers and the chief magistrate of Jo-
hannesburg, acting as chairman. The
labor matter until it consults this
board.
I'VE believe we have strong,
clear cut trade union movement in
British South Africa. This is because
Of the high order Of Intelligence Of
Immigrants who come from Europe
| and America. It is not a stimulated
immigration. These workers under
( stand trade unionism. Our country is
new and this has made it possible for
us to profit by the mistakes and ex-
periments that were logical and neces-
sary in the development of other
trade union movements.
1T will surprise American trade
| unionits to know that while they con-
tribute 1 per cent per member per
month through their International
unions to support the American FEEDER
alton Of Labor, our members con-
tribute 81 year to support the South
| African industrial federation.
ITO understand the size Of our
! country take a map Of the United
States and draw an imaginary line
from the Canadian border south
through Omaha to the Gulf Of Mevico.
! The area east of this line clear to
the Atlantic ocean approximates the
size Of British South Africa