On Wednesday, at the Dockers' Congress now being held at
Hull, Mr. Tom Mann delivered his presidential address. There has been an improvement in their condition, but many of the dockers, he declares, are still at times called on to work ninety or more hours per week. "Railway men were still working from twenty to forty-five hours on a stretch, and some chemical workers were compelled by the force of capitalism to work seven shifts a week, of twelve hours per shift, under un- healthy and inhuman conditions, that to merely hear them mentioned made one's blood curdle." Mr. Mann further insisted "that trade _unionists should purchase only trade- union-made goods." If Trade Unionism was to com- plete its work, it must bring about such changes in their industrial system as should throw the burden, if there must be a barden, upon the whole community, and not upon one or two unfortunate sections. " To reduce the- hours of labour would not bring about a change, for if an eight-hours day were passed the Baltic would still freeze and fashions would change. It was not practical to give these- workers a wage that would keep them while they were not at work, but there should be municipal workshops, under Government legislation, to which people out of work could_ go." We confess to finding it impossible to understand what Mr. Mann really wants. We expect he hardly knows himself,. but has a vague feeling that if it only would, the State could make everyone comfortable, and he therefore proposes muni- cipal workshops. He should read the accounts of the Paris- workshops in 1848. Unless he persuades himself that human nature is different on the other side of the Channel, their failure ought to convince him of the hopelessness of any such scheme. Mr. Mann ended by announcing his resignation of the Presidency of the Union, and his intention of standing for the post of Secretary to the Amalgamated Engineers.
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