21 JANUARY 1922, Page 3

The newly formed General Council of the Trade Union Congress

published last Saturday a manifesto inviting the trade unions to consider common action on a national basis " for the purpose of resisting the efforts now being made by the employers to secure an increase in the working day or week." The council suggested that a levy might be necessary to provide it with funds, but admitted that the trade unions were unable to find money at the moment. " Trade union standards," it said, " can only be maintained in these days by mobilizing and utilizing the entire resources of the trade union movement." The Council had nothing to say about the need for restoring trade and promoting employment by reducing the cost of production.