60 POLITICAL ECONOMY 



the liberty of soliciting the Branches to express their opinions thereon 

 by resolution in the usual way. Yours fraternally, 



JOHN D. PRIOR, Islington Branch. 



WAKEUNG TERRACE, BRIDE STREET, N. 



January Wi, 1868. 



Remark, that in the above report there are no leading articles, 

 nnd no matter but what strictly bears on the union and the in- 

 terests of its members. 1 In a society conducted upon this plan, 

 we cannot doubt that any course of action decided upon does 

 truly represent the wishes of the members. Yet, when men 

 refuse to work for certain wages, a portion of the Press invari- 

 ably deplores the unhappy fate of the poor men misled and duped 

 by secretaries and delegates who are supposed to find their 

 account in ruining the societies they serve. Lately, even the 

 leading journals have deplored the blind obstinacy of the ship- 

 wrights at the East-end of London, who will not consent to a 

 reduction of wages. We are told that it is intolerable that 

 men who will not work for 6s. a day should be supported 

 by the poor-rates and by charity. Only as a matter of fact, 

 we believe that none of the union shipwrights have received 

 anything either from charity or the poor-rates. Other papers 

 say the strike is supported by contributions from distant 

 branches, whose members force the Millwall men to refuse 

 reasonable wages. The Millwall men remark that there is no 

 strike, and that they are living on their savings, and are not 

 supported from the union funds. Probably this assertion would 

 require some qualification before it expressed all the facts ; but 

 we believe the Millwall men to have been hitherto quite as much 

 in favour of refusing to submit to any reduction of wages as the 

 other branches or unions. They may be w r ise or foolish ; it may 

 be better for them that few or no ships should be built at Mill- 

 wall, or it may be a great loss. If, owing to the dearness of 

 provisions and cost of transport, ships are built in the Thames 

 at a disadvantage, it will be better for the w T hole country, in 

 the long run, that shipbuilding should not be practised there. 



1 The Annual Reports of larpre societies contain detailed statements of ex- 

 penditure, receipts, hind!--, etc. The Engineers' Kcport for ItSI'u has \'2\) pa^es 

 Dial of the Carpenters 15!) pa^es. 



