The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-04-19
BY T. REED.

THE native labor vement OF
South Africa during the last
quarter of 1928 was distinguished by
number Of events, which once
more brought this movement into
the center of attention of the coun-
try. In October the native workers
in one of the government enter
prises, the experimental veterinary
station in Preto ia, declared a
strike. The workers Of the station,
who are practically all united in
The Industrial and Commercial Work
ers' Union, demanded wage in
creases and nominated for the ne
gotiations with the management a
delegation, which was participated
in by two representatives Of the To-
cal union branch. The management,
however, acting according to the di-
rections from the ministry for agri-
culture, emphatically refused to per-
nit the representatives of the union
to negotiate end then issued an order
to dismiss all members of the dele
cation. This served as the preteXt
for the declaration of the strike OF
rs workers, union members. Imme-
diately after the non-turn up of the
workers at the station, a company
of police arrived, which attempted
/ by threatening arrests to force the
workers to call the strike off. The
workers refused to submit and were
! Immediately arrested and sent tt
prison. After several days imprison
ment the workers were sentenced tt
pay fine of $3.50 each, and upor
return to the station they were al
dismissed.
Such is the short shrift meted ou
to the native workers upon theil
first attempt at org "1ized actor
during the past year. Even the ele
mentary standard of law, which
have been established by these same
authorities, were not applied. Fol
! lllSGdIlC6 udtlNS WolhSL may w
arrested only if he refuses to appear
before the courts.
AS the experimental station is g
government enterprise and all these
action were taken upon the immedi.
ate directions of the given minis
try, by these actions the government
in no uncertain sense showed how
it intends to react to analogous ac'
ton by the native workers, anc
what is its attitude towards the ac-
Invites of the native Industrial anc
Commercial Workers Union.
When Kadalie, the secretary OF
the union, arrived at the scene OF
the strike, under threat of arrest
he was not even permitted to SET
foot on the territory of the station
Thus all the services of the lead.
ers of the Industrial and CONNER
cial Workers Union, expert in col
laborating, and directed after the
break with the Communists at the
end of 1926 towards cifying the
workers." all their assurances that
the union is being reorganized or
a purely trade unionist basis anc
has the task of improving the posi-
ton of the native workers by "con.
stitutional means" (this in a coun-
try where constitution signifies fol
the black workers complete Olsen
reimbursement and ruthless exploi.
tation) all this was not taken into
account and did not help them II
getting the recognition of theil
right to participate in the settle
ment of the dispute which involved
the native workers and union mem
bers.
Directed in its native policy by
the criers of "Native danger" the
government of the bloc of the ma
tionalist labor party has proved that
it prefers to break up any and all
even the most moderate, movement
of native workers.
The more sober" ones in the
camp of the South African bour.
geoisie during the lively polemics il
the press, which started in connec'
ton with the events at the veter'
mary station, beat an alarm as tc
the government by such an attitude
towards the Industrial and CONNER.
cial Workers Union pushing the ma.
tive workers into the embrace OF
the Communists, as to it being nee
essary to consider whether "the or.
ganization QCU) promises to be-
come a moderate and peaceful rep
resentative of the natives and able