No. of
Enclosure No.
Bxtract from the South China Morning Post
of
87
•
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CANTON LABOUR.
Good Work Of Police Commissioner.
UNIONS DISBANDED.
(Our Own Correspondent.)
Canton, Jan. 9.
Hotel owners
and their em- ployees are still at loggerheads. There is no sign of the employers weakening, but the workingmen have at last suggested a compro- mise. They are willing to cut down the demand for increased wages by 15 per cent, and it is reported that if 30 per cent on the dollar is cut off the demand, a settlement will in all probability be reached. It is still the pro- prietors of the smaller hostelries who are blocking all attempts to reach an understanding the workers. The first-class hotel owners would have settled long ago, but being members of the association to which the proprie- tors of the smaller hotels belong, they are unable to act independent- ly.
A compromise has been suggested by the Farmers and Labourers Bureau, which has informed both sides that it would be best to split the difference and sign a settle- 'ment agreement on the basis of a
While it is understood that all but the wage demand have been, settled, the accepted terms have
not been given out. The writerminals, attacking the headquarters has learned that the employees did of the mechanics, will be not win their demand that no dissolved as a consequence of the worker might be discharged with- unwise leadership. of its radical out their consent. Instead, it has leaders. The government seems been agreed that the old custom now to lean rather towards shall be followed of giving notice the General Labourers Union, to the workmen on the second day which will probably shortly estab- of every year, whether their ser-lish its headquarters in Hankow, vices are desired longer or not. and gradually the unions which The proprietors shall be free to discharge any man at that time, but if a man is kept on, and dur- ing the year the employer desires to dispense with his services, the matter must be taken up with the union and good cause shown be- fore permission to discharge him will be granted.
tat.
The Police Chief.
comprise the Labourers Delegates Union may be put out of business. Notice has already been given that the union of men who take part in playing the lion and other perfor- mances of a theatrical nature shall no longer exist. All of the mem- bers of this union are trained in feats of strength, and are expert Chinese boxers, and their services have been employed in many of the street fights in Canton during the past year.
The strike of hotel and board-
Your correspondent has already pointed out that Tsin Tai-kwan, the Chief of Police, is obtaining
An Unpopular Place. excellent results in his new office, making the labourers toe the mark.
Canton, Jan. 9. He has had an up-hill job of it, The workers of the J. G. Kerr Hospital in Fongtsuen have issued too, undoing the work of his pre- with
decessor, the radical Li Cheung-althy circular enumerating the We have now come by the "crimes" of the hospital authori- information that shortly after ties. They ask that the Kuomin- taking office, Mr. Tsin telegraphed tang and the Union of Miscellane to the Commander-in-Chief Chiang ous Workers should give them sup- Kai-shek, making it clear that he port to deliver them from the "yoke could not continue in office if he of oppression.” were not given full authority to use whatever methods, he mighting house workers continues and all attempts of the Government deem necessary to preserve order
Labour Department at a settle- in the city. The answer, also.
ment have proved fruitless. Yes- telegraphed, was entirely satis- factory, giving Tsin Tai-kwan the the Kwong Tai Loy boarding house terday afternoon, an employee of right to issue what orders he sees was shot at by union pickets while fit, and to carry them out in whats returning to work. The pickets ever manner he deems necessary, were arrested and taken entirely unhampered by either Police Department, but the Labour military or civil authorities. Upon Union demanded their immediate. receipt of this telegram. Mr. Tsin release. gave orders for the disbanding of the Labourers Delegates Union patrol corps which Li Cheung-tat At a recent execute meeting Department, the had allowed to parade through the of the Police streets on the pretext that these Inspector of the Th Station corps were needed to prevent complained that it is quite impos- clashes between the workers. sible for the police to maintain Since the appointment of Tsin Tai- kwan as Commissioner of Public Safety there have been no labour disorders of consequence other than the trouble among the railway em- ployees, and one of these distur-ter with the Ricshaw bances occurred on the outskirts of
Labour Union. Canton, and the other across the river, at the very edge of Fatei.
reduction in the workers' wage demand by 20 per cent. The sec- ond and third-class hotels seem unwilling to consider this sugges- tion.
Loyal Employees.
While small flags have been stuck up at the entrance of every hotel, no one is prevented from entering or leaving the premises at will. Quite a few of the workers far from being hostile to their employers are standing by them and actually giving them aid, realizing that in the long run they will not gain by a settlement that milks all of the profit from hotel- keeping. Because of this, in some hotels rooms have been rented during the strike, and thus, espe- cially in the smaller establish- ments, the owners have been making some
which has money, enabled them to hold out the longer. Their friendly workmen have, for the most part, winked at this in- fraction of the strike rules, and have undoubtedly in most cases shared in the profits, and in ex- change have given a certain amount I of service
strike-time
+-
Traffic Control
to the
traffic order. He explained that whenever a constable interferes with the ricshaw pullers, other coolies interfere. The Police chiefs decided to take up the mat-
Pullers"
a
The Police Headquarters, place now much hated by labour unionist here, is being carefully guarded,.
Extra armed soldiers are placed on guard outside the headquarters and those entering or leaving after dark are subject to search.
Official Support. There has been quite a change in the policy of the Farmers and Labourers Bureau, for it seems now to be the intention of its head The funeral of Shen Leung, As- to back Tsin Tai-kwan, and to sistant Chief of Police of Canton, adopt his attitude in dealing with took place this afternoon. The disorderly elements. There is a procession was attended by likelihood that the Union of Rail-hundreds police officers and way Employees which started the soldiers and a military band.- trouble at the two railway ter- 'F. A. C.
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