The Warrington & Mid-Cheshire Examiner. — 1893-05-13 (Warrington, Cheshire, England)

EXAMINER, SATURD AY, MAY 13, 1893.  amongst the shearers. That strike utterly failed because there was large numtyr of unemployed men in AtWra. ha who teak the place of the oleo on strike. That was a new coantry where *everything was favourable for the workniem. So that it should be borne in mind when it was seriously proposed that an eight hours day would cure tbre unemployed question. In his opinion it was not tocure, but it would to some extent for a time limit theltumber of unemployed. The question of the unemployed was the questiOn of the tutors, and it was time for Government to recognise the fact that something ttnast be done to solve the question. It would not be •easy, some' great change would be 'necessary before its accomplishment, but there were patliatives which could ibe applied in the meantime. There could be organised &labour bureau-to.collect reliable statistics of the unemployed, and the 'workers in the various trades ; local authorities could execute works 'of public usefulness in times of depression. A reform of village life, so that the men shoilltisbe able to live there and maintain themselves and families with respect, and be able to lay by something for the future. Inthis way help ought to be given to the' unemployed. (Applause.) Mr. Jenkins proposed "Success' to Widnes Trades Council." 'He hoped the Council would succeed in getting all trailes affiliated, and then try to put their cornbinatioc to practical usefulness. There was a vast amountef work to be donein cleaning up the thoroughfares and backshims ; they were a disgrace to any town in thevrorld. The Council could put pressure upon the Corporation to have this state of things remedied. If he thought he had to stay the remainder of his days in Widees he would go down to the river and comnpit ' suicide.. (Laughter.) The smiling valleys had beenturned into cinder heaps te tnake a few men rich at the e expense of the general community. -that was what had practically taken place in Widnes. The lives of the workers, all decency, or of anything in the shape of comfort, had been sacrificed to the god Mammon in that town more than in any place he had visited in hislife, He knew England from one end to the other' and he had never seen any town half so miserableas Widnes. They had got something td do, and he hoped they would do it. Dealing with the eight hours question, king said he would not argue that it was a panaceafor all • the ills that flesh was heir to, but it would have amore immediate effect upon the labour market stirplits than anything likely to take place during the next 26 ye4rs. It was not possible to obtain their salvation by any one .method, and something might also be done in the direction indicated ny Mr. Deacon. The land laws would have to be altered. But supposing the eight hours day granted, .there would be instantly 50,000 men wanted on the railway lines. In London alone 'they would want • 10,000 or 11,000 more bakers. What had been a success 'in the textile industries would be a success all round. The'Chairman responded and said he had not noticed that' Widnes was such a God forgotton place as Mr. Jenkins wished them to believe. When they got used to it, it was not so very bad after all. AR the instigator of the Trades Council it was a pleasure to see the success achieved so far, but he hoped next year that they would be in a stronger position.