CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBHARY 3 1924 092 61 6 501 ILR HX 36 .R34x 1917 Cornell ilr LIBRARY Martin P. C School of Ind !]atherwoc iistrial and Lai )d Library )or Relations THE LABOUR PARTY. REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE appointed by the Annual Conference of the Party, held at Manchester, in January, 191 7, to inquire into and Report upon the Circumstances which resulted in the Deportation in March, 19 16, of David Kirkwood and other Workmen employed in Munition Factories in the Clyde District. PRICE SIXPENCE. I, VICTORIA STREET, LONDON, S.W. i. The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924092616501 TABLE OF CONTENTS. Section No. SUBJECT. Page: 1. Appointment of the Committee . . . , . . . . 5 2. Nature and Scope of the Inquiry . . . . & 3. Range of Evidence . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 4. Agreements and Special Regulations affecting Munitions Factories . . 7 5. Constitution of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers and the Duties of its Local Officials . . . . . . . . . . 11 6. The Clyde Workers' Committee — Origin and Development . . . . 12 7 . The attempt of the Clyde Workers' Committee to negotiate with the Dilution Commissioners . . . . . . . . . . 15 8. New methods of Workshop Control advocated by the Clyde Workers' Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 9. The Clyde Workers' Committee and its Strike Policy . . . . 18 10. The Strike at Parkhead Forge and its Sympathetic Extensions .. 18 11. The Deportations, Names, Dates, &c. .. .. .. . . Ift 12. Dates and Facts connected with the Strike and the Deportations . . 19 13. Inquiry by the Dilution Commissioners . . . . . . . . 27 14. Alleged Causes of the Strike . . . . . . . . 27 15. The " Right to see " Grievance . . . . . . 31 16. Contributory Causes of the Strike .. .. .. ..37 17. The Deportations, Official Orders, Procedure, Subsistence Allowances, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 18. Action taken by the Amalgamated Society of Engineers .. .. 46 19. Action taken by Mr. Henderson .. .. .. ..48 20. Mr. Kirkwood's position . . . . . . . . 50 21. Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 General Note . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Thanks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Appendix 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Do. 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Do. 3. . . . . . . .... . . 61 Do. 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Properly of i.nHP^STATESCHOOlOF JWTRIALANOUSORREUTIONS Gomel) University COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY. Mr. ROBERT SMILLIE (Miners' Federation of Great Britain). Mr. albert BELLAMY (National Union of Railwaymen). Mr. TOM SHAW (United Textile Factory Workers). Mr. JOHN HILL (Boilermakers and Iron and Steel Shipbuilders) Mr. a. G. WALKDEN (Railway Clerks' Association). Special Cotntnittee on Deportation of Munition Workers in the Clyde District. REPORT. To ihe Executive Committee of THE LABOUR PARTY, 1, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W.\. Gentlemen, We are now in a position to report the result of our Inquiry into the circumstances connected with the arrest and deportation during March and April of last year of certain munition workers employed in the Clyde District. 1. APPOINTMENT OF COMMITTEE 1. Our appointment at the Annual Conference of the Labour Party arose out of a debate on a resolution regarding " The restoration of Trade Union Conditions after the War," which had been moved by Mr. W. H. Hutchinson on behalf of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers. Mr^ David Kirkwood, in seconding this Resolution, made a statement on behalf of himself and the other men who had been arrested and deported from the Clyde District, and in the course of the discussion which followed, the Right Honourable Arthur Henderson, M.P., suggested that the Conference might appoint a Committee to investigate the matters to which Mr. Kirkwood had referred. Mr. Henderson, and subsequently Mr. J. T. Brownlie, the President of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, offered to submit to such a Committee all the evidence which might be necessary to enable a full and complete investigation to be made. The Resolution under discussion having been carried, it was proposed by Mr. F. Bramley and seconded by Mr. C. G. Ammon as follows : — " This Conference having heard statements from Mr. David Kirkwood and Mr. Henderson with reference to the Clyde Deporta- tions, and having regard to the suggestion made by Mr. Henderson that an investigation should be made by representatives of this Conference, agrees to appoint five delegates to act in this capacity." This Resolution was carried and we were appointed a Committee to conduct the investigation. 2. NATURE AND SCOPE OF THE INQUIRY. 2. As specific terms of reference had not been prepared for our guidance, we endeavoured to formulate a concise statement of the objects and scope of our investigation which would represent what we understood to be the wishes of the Conference as we had gathered them in the course of the debate, and would also afford the witnesses some indication of the character of the information which we desired to obtain. We accord- ingly decided that the scope of our investigation should be expressed m the following terms : — " To inquire into and report upon the circumstances which resulted in the deportation of David Kirkwood and other workmen employed in Munition factories on the Clyde, and to ascertam whether the men in question were deported without any charge being made against them and without the option of a trial in a Court of Law ; " Whether Mr. Arthur Henderson was a party to this action ; " Whether the Amalgamated Society of Engineers acquiesced in it ; and " Whether the action of Mr. Henderson and the Amalgamated Society of Engineers was in any way inimical to the interests of Trade Unionism." 3. RANGE OF EVIDENCE. 3. A transcript of the Shorthand Writer's notes of the speeches on the subject which were delivered at the Labour Party Conference was supplied to us, and acting upon the offers which had been made by Mr. Henderson and Mr. BrownUe, we asked them to furnish us with any statements and documents which they considered material, and upon their receipt, adopting these statements and documents as the commencement of our Inquiry, we gave a preliminary hearing to Mr. Henderson and Mr Brownlie and other representatives of the Executive Council of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers. 4. Following the evidence they submitted on those occasions, we invited Mr. (now Sir) Lynden Macassey, K.C., to give evidence as the Chairman of H.M. Commission to effect Dilution of Labour in the Clyde lipistrict. Mr. Macassey (with full consent of the Government) willingly responded to our invitation, and laid before us a considerable amount of information upon the points that had arisen out of the preliminary evidence submitted by Mr. Henderson and the Amalgamated Society of Engineers. 5. At this stage, we deemed it advisable to go to Scotland for the purpose of receiving evidence from the local Officials of the Amalga- mated Society of Engineers, those of the deportees who were residing in Scotland, representatives of the Clyde Workers' Committee (which had been referred to) and any other persons having direct knowledge of the circumstances which preceded the deportations. 6. We found that four of the deportees were living at Liverpool, and we held a sitting in that city for the purpose of receiving their evidence! After that it became necessary for us to hold further sittings in London for the purpose of obtaining additional evidence from the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, Mr. Henderson, Mr. Macassey and other new wit- nesses who had been referred to in the evidence submitted in Scotland and Liverpool. 7. We interviewed Lieut.-Col, C. B. Levita, M.V.O., who was the Competent Military Authority responsible for putting into operation the orders for deportation, and all the deportees, with the exception •of one (Mr. J. Kennedy) who went to Canada in August, 1916. 8. We have received evidence from over 60 persons. The trans- cripts of the Shorthand Writer's notes of this evidence and the documents supplied by various witnesses would form a very bulky volume. We have done our best to sift the evidence and ascertain the essential facts. In our Report we propose to quote the actual words used by witnesses "when we consider this will conduce to a better understanding of the facts under review. 9. By the courtesy of the Government, we were supplied by the Commissioners for the Dilution of Labour in the Clyde District with copies of the transcript of the Shorthand Writer's notes of the evidence taken at their Inquiry on April 6th, nth, and 15th and May 17th, 1916, and of their Report. 4. AGREEMENTS AND SPECIAL REGULATIONS AFFECTING MUNITION FACTORIES. 10. We think it desirable at the outset to make some reference to the exceptional legislation, regulations, and arrangements which, since the outbreak of War and prior to the date of the deportations, had been made applicable to Munition Factories, and particularly to the Parkhead Forge, Glasgow, a Munition Factory owned by Messrs. WUliam Beardmore and Co. Ltd. 11. On the 29th October, 1914, a local Agreement was entered into between the Firm and the two principal Trade Unions of the workmen employed at Parkhead Forge, as follows : " This memorandum of Agreement witnesseth that on Thursday, 29th October, 1914, in the offices of William Beardmore and Company Limited, a deputation of shop steward? representing the employees of the company, members of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers and the Amalgamated Society of Toolmakers, had an interview with Sir William Beardmore, Bart., chairman of and representing the said WiUiam Beardmore and Company, Limited, when it was mutu- ally agreed between the parties as follows : — (1). That so far as the company find it possible, trade unionist men alone wUl be started in their machine shops at Parkhead ; and (2). That whenever the company is in want of workmen in the said shops, the shop stewards, representing the said Societies, shall be afforded an opportunity to assist in filling the vacancies." 12. On the 19th March, 1915, what has been known as " the Treasury Agreement " (see Appendix No. 1) was entered into between ihe Government and representatives of various Trade Unions, including the Executive Council of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, and the conditions which it contained were subsequently reproduced in the form of the Second Schedule to the Munitions of War Act, 1915. The Treasury Agreement was ratified by a baUot vote of the members of the Amalgamated Society in May, 1915, when 18,078 votes were cast in favour of it and 4,025 against it. 13. The Ministry of Munitions was established by an Act passed on the 9th June, 1915, and the Munitions of War Act, 1915, was passed on the 2nd July, 1915. This latter Act was subsequently amended on the 27th January, 1916, by the Munitions of War (Amendment) Act, 1916. The Munitions of War Acts (inter aha), {a) Provided that existing or apprehended differences as to rates of wages, hours of work, or terms or conditions of or affecung employment on munitions work might be reported to the Board of Trade whose duty it should be to consider any difference so reported and take any steps which seemed expedient to promote a settlement of the difference and which in any case in which the Board thought fit might, if such difference had not been settled within twenty-one days from the date of the report, refer the difference for settlement to either (1) A Committee appointed by the Treasury, known as the Committee on Production, (2) a single arbitrator, (3) an arbitra- tion tribunal, or (4) any persons acting under an existing agreement for thfe settlement of disputes between employers and workmen, (b) Prohibited lockouts and strikes arising out of such differ- ences unless the Board of Trade had not settled such difference or referred it for settlement within twenty-one days after the Report to it of the difference had been made, (c) Provided for the control bj' the Government of establish- ments engaged on munitions work, and (d) In order to guarantee that the status quo ante should be resumed after the War specifically enacted that the owners of controlled establishments should be deemed to have entered into an undertaking to carry out provisions contained in the Second Schedule to the Act of 1915 which were as follows : — " SCHEDULE II. 1. Any departure during the War from the practice ruling in the workshops, shipyards, and other industries prior to the War, shall only be for the period of the War. 2. No change in practice made during the War shall be allowed to prejudice the position of the workmen in the owners' employment or of their trade unions in regard to the resumption and maintenance after the War of any rules or customs existing prior to the War. 3. In any readjustment of staff which may have to be effected after the War priority of employment wiU be given to workmen in the owners' emplo3Tnent at the beginning of the War who have been serving with the colours or who were in the owners' employment when the establishment became a controlled establishment. 4. Where the custom of a shop is changed during the War by the introduction of semi-skilled men to perform work hitherto performed by a class of workmen of high-skill, the time and piece rates paid shall be the usual rates of the district for that class of work. 5. The relaxation of existing demarcation restrictions or admission of semi-skiUed or female Labour shall not affect adversclv the rates customarily paid for the job. In cases where men wlio ordmanly do the work are adversely affected thereby, the necessary read]ustments shall be made so that they can maintain their pre- vious earnings. 6. A record of the nature of the departure from the conditions prevailing when the establishment became a controlled establishment shall be kept, and shall be open for inspection by the authorised representatives of the Government. 7. Due notice shall be given to the workmen concerned where- ever practicable of any changes of working conditions which it , is desired to introduce as the result of the establishment becoming ■a controlled establishment, and opportunity for local consultation with workmen or their representatives shall be given if desired. 8. All differences with workmen engaged on Government work arising out of changes so introduced or with regard to wages or conditions of employment arising out of the War shall be settled in accordance with this Act without stoppage of work. 9. Nothing in this Schedule (except as provided by the fourth paragraph thereof) shaU prejudice the position of employers or persons employed after the War." 14. . Messrs. William Beardmore and Co. Ltd., were by an Order of the Ministry of Munitions declared to be a "controlled establishment," and tlie foregoing Regulations therefore applied to their works, in addition to the local Agreement given in paragraph 11. 15. Committees were set up by the Government known as " The Natioiial Advisory Committee on War Output," " The Committee on Production " already mentioned, and " The Central Munitions Labour Supply Committee." A Commission known as " H.M. Commission to effect Dilution of Labour (Clyde Area)" was also appointed on the 19th January, 1916. 16. In October, 1915, the Ministry of Munitions proposed a Sclieme for the dilution of labour in Munition Factories and issued the circulars which embodied recommendations to the firms owning munition factories as to mode of employment and remuneration, known as L. 2. (relating to work to be performed by women) and L. 3. (relating to work to be performed by semi-skilled and unskilled men). These circulars, which form Appendices 2 and 3 to this Report, were carefully considered bj? the Executive Council of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers and at a Meeting between it and the Central Munitions Labour Supply Com- mittee , held on October 27th, 1916, the Executive Council accepted the conditions laid down and undertook to co-operate in securing their application. 17. On the 24th January, 1916, the Commissioners for the Dilution of Labour (Clyde District), consisting of Mr. Lynden Macassey, K.C. (Chairman), Sir Thomas Munro and Mr. I. H. Mitchell, met at the Park- head Forge, Glasgow, a deputation consisting mainly of the Amalgamated Society's Shop Stewards employed there. This deputation was headed by Mr. David Kirkwood, the Convener of the Shop Stewards who were members of the Amalgamated Society. The Commissioners explained their proposals for dilution in the machine and new howitzer shops and asked the deputation to discuss these proposals with the workmen generally so that the proposals might be reconsidered and settled at a meeting to be held two days later. On the 26th January, 1916, the 10 Commissioners and the deputation, for whom Mr. Kirkwood acted as Spokesman, met and settled a scheme which was subject to the follow- ing conditions : — " Conditions of Dilution Scheme at the Parkhead Works of Messrs. Beardmore and Co. Ltd. 1. That the income of the new class of labour be fixed not on the sex, previous training or experience of the worker but upon the amount of work performed, every effort bemg made to secure the maximum of output. 2. That a committee appointed by the skilled workers be accepted by the employers with power to see that this arrangement is loyally carried out. Failing agreement between the employers and the committee the matter to be referred to a final Tribunal, mutually arranged, or, failing agreement, appointed by the Board of Trade. 3. That a record of all past and present changes in practice be handed to the Convener of Shop Stewards and by him remitted to the District Office to be retained for future referencfe. 4. That all skilled and semi-skilled men who were engaged at the engineering trade in the service of the firm immediately prior to the War be granted a certificate to that effect. 5. No alteration shall take place in this scheme unless and until due notice is given to the workmen concerned, and the pro- cedure followed as prescribed by Clause 7* of Schedule II. of the Munitions of War Act, 1915." 18. The Scheme was thereupon made operative as from 28th January, 1916. It was signed by Mr. Kirkwood as Convener of Shop Stewards and accepted at a meeting of the District Committee of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers on the 26th January, 1916, and was considered by the Executive Council of the Society on 29th January, 1916, who approved it with the exception of Clause I. This Clause appears to have been modified or superseded later on by the application of the General Regulations described in the next three paragraphs. 19. Prior to the making of the foregoing local Agreement the Executive Council of the Amalgamated Society had made representations to the Ministry of Munitions that the recommendations in Circulars L. 2. and L. 3. should be made statutorily binding on all controlled establishments and as a result the following Agreement was made on 31st December, 1915, between the Amalgamated Society and the Govern- ment : " That we, representing the Amalgamated Society of Engineers National Conference, having heard the statements and pledges of the Prime Minister and Minister of Munitions, decide to accept on behalf of the conference and membership of the Society the scheme of dilution and to co-operate actively therein provided that the Government pledges itself to incorporate in the Bill t power to enforce the rate of pay and conditions of labour as set out m document L. 3. as well as L. 2. in controlled establishments. Signed on behalf of the Conference Committee, J. T. Brownlie, Chairman. Robert Young, General Secretary." •See page 7 for text of this Qause. t This Bill ultimately became the " Munitions ot War (Amendment) Act, 1916." II 20. The following statement of the agreement arrived at rests on the Government shorthand writer's report of the Conference : "1. The conditions set forth in the two memoranda of the Ministry of Munitions, known as L. 2. and L. 3. to be the conditions for the employment of unskilled and semi-skilled workmen on work heretofore done by a class of workmen of higher skill and women on munition work of a class which prior to the War was not recognised as women's work in districts where such work was customarily carried on." 21. The Ministry of Munitions by an Order of 24th February, 1916, made Circular L.3. statutorily binding at the Parkjiead works. The 15 inch shell shop there was affected by this circular and the firm were in accordance with its terms required to pay men turning and boring 15 inch shells from 6d. to 7Jd. as a starting wage for a worldng week of 54 hours, or from 27s. to 33s. 9d. per week. The latter figure (33s. 9d.) was 10s. less than the Glasgow District turners' rate, but the Firm were paying the Statutory rate of wages for beginners under the arrangements for the dilution of skilled labour. 5. CONSTITUTION OF THE AMALGAMATED SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS AND THE DUTIES OF ITS LOCAL OFFICIALS. 22. The constitution of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers provides for District Committees (subject to the approval of the Executive Council) to deal with and regulate rates of wages, hours of labour, terms of overtime, piece work and general conditions affecting the interests of the trade in their respective districts. The District Committees are also empowered to send deputations to employers on questions likely to cause disputes with a view to their amicable settlement. The District Committees appoint Shop Stewards in workshops and departments to report on all matters affecting the trade and keep the District Committee informed of all events occurring in the various shops. It wUl be seen from this that the Shop Stewards are a recognised part of the organisation of the Amalgamated Society, but they are entirely under the jurisdic- tion of the District Committees. 23. The general business of the Society is conducted and controlled by its Executive Council, the members of which are elected by a ballot vote for a triennial term of office. The organisation of the Society is very democratic. Ballots of the members are taken vnth considerable frequency on various matters and a book is kept at each branch meeting room in which suggestions may be entered, more particularly for the alteration of the rules or the internal working arrangements of the Society. It also has what is known as an " Appeal Court," to which any District Committee, Branch, or member rnay submit grievances or appeals against decisions of the Executive Council. The members of this appeal Court are elected by ballot and there appears to be every facility for members or Branches to have their views or grievances fully considered by the Society in a proper and constitutional manner. 24. The District Committee for the Clyde area has offices at 18, Carlton Place, Glasgow, and employs a full-time Secretary, Organiser,, and clerical assistance. 25. Prior to the War there were 20 Shop Stewards in the Parkhead Works and after the War conunenced, in consequence of the extension of the business and the growth of Trade Unionism, the number of Shop Stewards was increased to 60. 12 26. Mr. David Kirkwood was appointed as Independent Chainnan of Shop Stewards in the Parkhead Works soon after the local Agreement of the 29th October, 1914, was signed, in order to give him a seat on the Shop Stewards Committee, as he was a prominent man and had taken an influential part in negotiating the Agreement. He was appointed Convener or Chief of the Shop Stewards at Parkhead on 1st January, 1915, in succession to Mr. S. Pitkethly. His duties were to deal with any difficulties that occurred with the Management, report any grievances to the District Committee and work on constitutional lines in accordance with the rules of the Amalgamated Society. When Mr. Kirkwood resigned on 3rd March, 1916, Mr. Samuel Shields succeeded him. 27. The District Committee is not authorised to declare a Strike except. with the consent of the Executive Council, and in cases of shop disputes members are required not to leave their employment without the approval of the District Committee and the endorsement of the Executive Council, as laid down in the Rules of the Society. 6. THE CLYDE WORKERS' COMMITTEE— ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT. 28. The Clyde Workers' Committee was frequently mentioned in the discussion at the Labour Party Conference, and by several of the witnesses in the course of our investigation. We therefore endeavoured to ascertain the origin, constitution and objects of this organisation, but the information we received on the subject was of a somewhat vague and conflicting character. We will endeavour to state briefly what we understand to have been its origin and its position at the time of the strike which resulted in the deportations. 29. At various times there had been in existence in the Clyde District " Vigilance Committees," whose primary purpose was active propaganda to persuade non-members to join the Trade Unions. In February, 1915, there was a strike, and the Vigilance Committee which then existed, and consisted mainly of Shop Stewards, added to its numbers and changed its name to that of " The Labour Withholding Committee," whose purpose was apparently to act as an unofficial Strike Committee. 30. Soon after the Munitions Act was passed in July, 1915, the " Labour Withholding Committee " reconstituted itself as the " Clyde Workers' Committee," which met and discussed the Government's arrangements for the dilution of labour, criticised the Officials of the Amal- gamated Society and other Trade Unions, and discussed a variety of ques- tions affecting workers generally. The President of the Clyde Workers' Committee was Mr. W. Gallacher, the Secretary Mr. J. M. Messer and the Treasurer, Mr. Tom Clark. The Clyde Workers' Committee had neither a constitution nor any rules of a definite character, and although Minutes are stated to have been recorded we were informed that no trace of them could be found. It was explained that the Minute Books changed hands and went astray after the deportation of the Secretarv on the 25th March, 1916. 31. We think the character of the organisation can be shown by an extract from the evidence given to us by one of the witnesses : Q. " Were you a member of the Clyde Workers' Committee ? " A. "It depends on what you call a member. The Clyde Workers' Committee was a heterogeneous crowd which had practically no constitution. It was more a collection of angry Trade Unionists than anything else, which had sprung into existence because of the 13 trouble which was going on on the Clyde. The Clyde Workers' Com- mittee, was the result of the trouble, the outcome of the trouble. It was a place of meeting where the different kindred spirits of the different shops met to discuss all our grievances." Q. Did you think it better to go there than to go to your own Trade Union Officials ?" A. Oh, yes. Our own Trade Union Officials were hopelessly tied up, and if you spoke to them, they were tied up. They could do nothing." Q. " They were tied up by whom ?" A. " Under the Munitions Act." Q. " Accepted by the Amalgamated Society of Engineers ?" A. " The Munitions Act ?" Q. •• Yes." A. "I understood it was accepted by all the Trade Unions. I never knew of an Official strike taking place under the Munitions Act." Q. "Do you think the establishment of a Committee such as the Clyde Workers' Committee was likely to help the Trade Union Movement, or the reverse ?" A. " I do not know. It welded together the men in the workshops who felt they had grievances." Q. " But would it not be disintegrating, rather than unifying, and probably lead to a new breakaway, to a new union : was not that the tendency?" A. "Not necessarily, because if you take the membership of the Clyde Workers' Committee, when the men in the workshop agreed to affiliate to the Clyde Workers' Committee, they usually sent their Shop Stewards as their representatives, so that as a matter of fact, being a Shop Steward was one of the qualifications for being the representative of the Committee. Where they pre- viously had sent their Shop Stewards to the Society to report to their District Committee, the Shop Stewards were sent to the Clyde Workers' Committee." Q. " You do not know whether you are a member ?" A. "I was the representative from the Diesel." Q. " You do not know exactly whether you are a member. There was a certain number of these who acted as an Executive, there was a Secretary and there was a President ?" A. "Yes." Q. " And there was a certain number who organised the work of the Committee ?" A. "Yes." Q. " Who appointed them?" A. " Those Shop Stewards who attended, but you must remem- ber that it was not absolutely necessary for your Shop to send you ; you could represent a minority in the Shop just the same as a majority, even though the minority was one." 14 Q. " Could you represent yourself alone ?" A. •' You could. I did not ; I represented the Shop." Q. •' Therefore it was not a democratic constitution, at any rate ?" A. " I do not know about it not being a very democratic constitution. I would hardly care to say that. If y«^^J^«"* ^^^ere you could only speak for yourself if you were only representing yourself, but if you represented the Department you could speak for the Department." 32. The foregoing and other simUar evidence indicates that member- ship of the Clyde ^^orkers' Committee was of the loosest possible desciip- tion. Funds were, raised by voluntary subscriptioiis in the WorKs. In our view, the members did not give sufficiently serious consideration to the probable ultimate consequences of some of the hues oi poncy advocated and approved at their meetings ; in fact irresponsibihty appears to have been one of the characteristics of the Orgar.sation. 33 Soon after the Munitions of War Act was passed in July, 1915, he Clyde Workers' Committee issued the foUowing manifesto : "CLYDE WORKERS' COMMITTEE. The Support Given to the Munitions Act by the Officials WAS AN Act of Treachery to the Working Classes. ^ Those of us who refused to be sold have organised the above Committee representative of All Trades in the Clyde area, determined to retain what liberties we have, and to take the first opportunity ■of forcing the repeal of all the pernicious legislation that has recently been imposed upon us. In the words of a Manifesto issued by the Trade Union Rights Committee, recently formed in London : ' Let us preserve what rights still remain and refuse steadfastly to surrender another inch to our allied foes — the capitalists and politicians. The liberty and freedom of the organised worker is the one thing ; our fight is the fight that matters and now is the time to act.' It is composed of Delegates of Shop Stewards from all trades in the Glasgow area, and is open to all such bona fide workers.- The progressives in all Trades are invited to attend. Its origin .goes back to the last big strike of February, 1915, when action was taken to force the demand put forward for an increase of 2d. per hour in the Engineering Industry. At that time a Committee known as the Labour Withholding Committee was set up represent- ative of the different trades in the industry to organise the strike and notwithstanding the fierce opposition from PubUc Opinion, employers. Government and our own Officials alike, that Committee managed and carried through probably the best-organised strike in the annals of Clyde history and brought about closer working unity amongst the rank and file of the different Trades than yeare of official eSort. It became obvious then that such a Committee permanently established would be invaluable to the workers and with that purpose in view the Committee was kept in being after the termination of the strike. 15 Our purpose must not be misconstrued. We are out for unity and closer organisation of all trades in the industry, one Union being the ultimate aim. We will support the officials just so long as they rightly represent the workers, but we will act independently immediately they misrepresent them. Being composed of Dele- gates from every shop and untrammelled by obsolete rule or law, we claim to represent the true feeling of the workers. We can act immediately according to the merits of the case and the desires of the rank and file. Signed on behalf of the Committee, Wm. Gallagher, President. J. M. Messer, Secretary, 408, Allison Street." 34. The evidence shows that this manifesto was approved, signed, and issued without due consideration having been given to it and with- out any sense of responsibility for the very arbitrary statements which it contained. 36. On the 8th January, 1916, the Clyde Workers' Committee appears to have started a weekly paper under the title of " The Worker," but its fourth and final issue was suppressed towards the end of the month. 7. THE ATTEMPT OF THE CLYDE WORKERS' COMMITTEE TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE DILUTION COMMISSIONERS. 36. We understand that the Government declined to recognise the Clyde Workers' Committee as an authoritative body for dealing with practical labour questions although the Committee endeavoured to enter into direct negotiations with the Dilution Commissioners as ■will be seen from the following correspondence : — " 18th February, 1916. The Government Commission on Dilution of Labour. At a meeting of Delegates representing 29 Shops and Yards in the engineering Industry on the Clyde, met to consider the ques- tion of Dilution of Labour, I was instructed to inquire when it would be convenient for the Commissioners to receive a Deputation elected by that meeting to place the result of the Delegates' de- liberations before the Commission. I herewith conform with that request. Hoping for a favourable reply, Yours respectfully, (signed) J. M. Messer (Secretary Clyde Workers' Committee)." "26th February, 1916. Sir, This Commission has now considered your letter of the 18th inst., receipt of which was acknowledged by the Secretary of the Commission on the 21st of February, 1916, and desire that you should convey their thanks to your Committee for the proposal that delegates of the Clyde Workers' Committee should wait upon the Commission in reference to the question of dilution of labour. i6 The scheme of dUution of labour upon which this Commission is engaged, as you are doubtless aware, foUows on the agreenient dated March the 19th, 1915, between the various Trades Unions and the Government. Having regard to that Agreement, tne Commissioners make it their practice to communicate with ana consult the Trade Unions representing the particular trades affected by each particular scheme of dUution which the Commissioners from time to time consider, and, in addition, they consult the individual men affected by this scheme in the particular Shop concemea. as the Commissioners have found that the official Trade Unions in every case readily afford them full and efficient assistance m reference to the details of each dilution scheme affecting their particular trades, .and represent effectively their members, the Conamissioners think it unnecessary to trouble your Committee m the matter, consisting as they see it does also of Trade Unionists. I am. Sir, Your obedient Servant, Lynden Macassey, per J.M.D." 37. We found during the course of our inquiries that the descrip- tion in the foregoing letter by Mr. Lynden Macassey of the precedure adopted by the Dilution Commissioners was quite correct, and that on the whole it had worked satisfactorily. In view of these circum- -tances and the fact that the Trade Unions were accorded fuU Official recognition throughout all the Munitions Works, and seeing also that the Government entered into consultation with the accredited represent- atives of the Unions concerned in regard to all special War working arrangements, and that responsible Trade Union representatives accomp- anied the Commissioners for Dilution in the Clyde area during all their negotiations at the various works, we see no good reason why the Clyde Workers' Committee should have sought to enter into negotiations with the Dilution Commissioners. 38. The Clyde Workers' Committee had no proper mandate from the members of the Trade Unions to undertake such responsible negotia- tions, and the action they desired to take in this direction could only have caused overlapping and confusion and probably internal discord in the Unions and have discredited the legitimate position of the res- ponsible Committees and Officials who had been appointed or deputed to conduct negotiations with Employers and the Government or its representatives. 39. On this point the witnesses from the Executive Council of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers stated :— " Complaints con- tinually reached us from our Glasgow District Committee of the assump- tion by the Clyde Workers' Committee of rights and powers belonging to the District Committee of the Union, and we pledged our support to the District Committee in any action which might be necessary to prevent the Clyde Workers' Committee from assuming unconstitutional powers." 40. We do not doubt that the enthusiastic Trade Union propaganda carried on by the Clyde Workers' Committee accelerated the conversion of many non-Unionists and thus helped to increase the numerical strength of the Trade Unions ; but the value of such work would be largely counteracted by the undue development of the Committee in the direc- tion of promoting irregular strikes and attempting to conduct unauthor- 17 "ised negotiations regarding conditions of Labour. Such actions inevitably tend to undermine the power of the Trade Unions in their efforts to discharge their very responsible functions in accordance with general lines of policy settled by democratic methods that are available to the whole of their members. 8. NEW METHODS OF WORKSHOP CONTROL ADVOCATED BY THE CLYDE WORKERS' COMMITTEE. 4L The Clyde Workers' Committee advocated the view that the organised Trade Unionists should be allowed to share in the adminis- tration and control of workshop arrangements, more particularly in Munitions Factories which had been brought under the control of the •Government, but its witnesses emphatically denied having stipulated on the occasion of Mr. Lloyd George's visit to the Clyde District in December, 1915, that dilution would not be agreed to unless the Munitions Works were handed over to their sole control. On the other hand, both Mr. Henderson and Mr. Lynden Macassey, who were present at all Mr. Lloyd George's meetings, stated quite definitely that claims of that absolute character were made by members of the Clyde Workers' Committee. 42. We find that in a copy of " The Worker," the Organ of the Clyde Workers' Committee, for January 8th, 1916, in an article entitled " Our Case in Brief," Mr. J. W. Muir, who apparently edited the paper, stated in regard to the policy of the Clyde Workers' Committee : " the {jovernment must take over all the industries and national resources and give organised labour a direct share in the management down through all the departments." In another part of the paper containing a report of the meeting of the Shop Stewards at Parkhead Forge, which was addressed by Mr. Lloyd George, it was stated : " When he finished, Kirkwood asked if he was prepared to give the workers a share in the management of the works. They as Socialists welcomed dilution of labour which they regarded as the natural development in industrial conditions. They were not like the Luddites of another generation who smashed the new machinery. But this scheme of dilution must be carried out under the control of the workers. They recognised that if they had not control, cheap labour would be introduced and unless their demand was granted they would fight the scheme to the death." 43. It will be observed that, according to the report in " The Worker," Mr Muir (who, like Mr. Kirkwood, belonged to the Amalga- mated Society of Engineers and was a very active member of the Clyde Workers' Committee) and also Mr. Kirkwood, claimed only a share in the management of the workshops, and that Mr. Kirkwood was appar- ently apprehensive that unless the scheme of dilution was carried out under the control of the workers it would be exploited by the introduc- tion of cheap labour. Seeing that it was proposed to bring in large numbers of unskilled workers, including women, this apprehension was very natural on the part of the skilled engineers whose province would thus be invaded. 44. In this connection we might mention that Messrs. Wm. Beard- more and Co. Ltd., had strongly opposed the Amalgamated Society some years previously, and had only made their place a " Union shop " about three months after the commencement of the War. It is quite conceivable that during the excitement and the somewhat heated dis- cussions which arose at some of Mr. Lloyd George's meetings in the c Clyde District in December, 1915, some of the speakers put up what was literally an unqualified claim to complete control of the workshops,. but so far as we could ascertain, the intention of the leading members of the Clyde Workers' Committee was that the system of control should be operated through the Trade Unions in conjunction with the Govern- ment and the Management in the various Works. 9. THE CLYDE WORKERS' COMMITTEE AND ITS STRIKE POLICY. 45. We interrogated the representatives ■ of the Clyde Workers' Committee with regard to the general question of strikes and the alleged responsibility of that Committee for the strike which resulted in the deportations. They stated most definitely that the Committee did not exist to promote strikes and that its Chairman had publicly announced on more than one occasion prior to the Strike which preceded the de- portations that the Clyde Workers' Committee had no power to declare a strike. They further maintained that they were not responsible for that particular strike, and asserted that the Committee was more of an educative and propagandist body than anything else ; that it strongly advocated Industrial Unionism in preference to Sectional or Craft Unionism, and that it existed to watch and discuss matters of general interest to workers, especially in regard to the exceptional con- ditions which arose out of the War. 46. In spite of these assertions of the witnesses who represented the Clyde Workers' Committee, that it did not exist to promote strikes, the contrary spirit was apparent in its weekly paper " The Worker " ; and the manifesto issued soon after the passing of the Munitions of War Act in July, 1915, claimed that the Committee under its previous title had " managed and carried through probably the best organised strike in the annals of Clyde history" {vide paragraph 33). 47. However, we do not think that the Clyde Workers' Committee as a collective body was responsible for starting the strike which occurred at Parkhead Forge in March, 1916. In our opinion, that strilie was a spontaneous outbreak of the general body of workmen employed there, and was intended as a protest against what they regarded as the unfair restriction of facilities which had previously been allowed to the Chief Shop Steward. 10. THE STRIKE AT PARKHEAD FORGE AND ITS SYMPATHETIC EXTENSIONS. 48. The Strike of the Engineers which resulted in the deportation commenced at the Parkhead Forge Works of Messrs. William Beard- more and Co. Ltd. at noon on March 17th, 1916. It continued until April 4th, when the majority of those who were out on strike resumed work. On the 6th April the remainder of the men returned and the strike came to an end. During the course of the strike it extended to other works in the Clyde District as follows : — 21st March to North British Diesel Engine Works,— 23rd March to Messrs. Beardmore's and Co.'s Gun Department, Dalmuir, — 27th March to Weirs' Cathcart Works, and Messrs. Beardmore and Co.'s Coventry Ordnance Works Dalmuir, — 28th March to a further Department at Weir's Cathcart Works, Mavor and Coulson's Works, and Duncan Stewart and Co.'s Works, and on the 29th March to the Albion Motor Company's Works 19 49. It is also stated that unsuccessful attempts were made to bring about strikes at the North British Locomotive Works and Bur- meister and Wain's Works. 50. We were informed by the Chairman of the Clyde Dilution Commissioners that all the shops in which the strikes occurred were those in which heavy Howitzers were being made, and that guns of this type were not being made at any other works in the district, but although we made close enquiry upon the point we do not think there was any conscious or deliberate attempt to retard the delivery of any particular type of gun. The matter was to some extent explained by the fact that the strikes which occurred prior to the deportations took place in shops which were controlled or worked in conjunction with Messrs. Beardmore and Co. Ltd. in whose Parkhead Works the strike originated. The strikes which subsequently took place resulted from the deportations and occurred in shops where the men deported were well-known as active members of the Clyde Workers' Committee. 11. THE DEPORTATIONS. 51. As a result of the strike Mr. David Kirkwood persons were arrested and deported. The particulars and deportations are as follows : — Trade Union. A.S.E, A.S.E. A.S.E. A.S.E. A.S.E. A.S.E. A.S.E. A.S.E. A.S.E. A.S.E. Name. Kirkwood . . M. MES5ER . . Haggerty . McManus . Shields . Wainwright R. A. Bridges . . ]. Kennedy H. C. Glass T. Clark D. .T- J- A. S. R. Workshop. Beardmore's Parkhead Works Weir's Cathcart Works Parkhead Works Weir's Cathcart Works Parkhead Works Parkhead Works Weir's Cathcart Works Parkhead Works and nine other of the arrests Date of Deportation. 25th March, 1916. 37th March, 1916- 29th March, 1916 5th April, 1916 52. We understand that these* men, with the exception of Hag- garty and Glass, were members of the Clyde Workers' Committee.* 12. DATES AND FACTS CONNECTED WITH THE STRIKES AND DEPORTATIONS. 53. On the 28th January, 1916, as explained, a dilution scheme was instituted at the Parkhead Forge Works which had been accepted on behalf of the workmen employed there by a deputation headed by Mr. Kirkwood. 54. Early in February soldiers who were skilled engineers and had been released from the Army were sent to Parkhead in order to meet the shortage of skilled men required for urgent munitions work. These included some non-union men, but ultimately, with the exception of one man, they joined a trade union. This man refused to join because he hoped that by standing out he would be forced to leave the Works, and would then be allowed to go to Liverpool where his home was, and to work there. Mr. Kirkwood and other engineers in the Works, soon after the non-union men had come into the shops, requested the Manage- ment either to require these soldiers to join a Trade Union or to remove them from the Works. * Further information respecting the deportations is given in Section 17, para- graphs 142 to 162. 20 55. On the \6th February Mr. Kirkwood and Mr. S. Bunton, the Secretary to the District Committee of the Amalgamated Society, inter- viewed Sir Wm. Beardmore in regard to these non-union soldiers and Sir Wm. Beardmore stated that he would not insist upon any man joining a Union, but he was prepared to abide by the undertaking which he had given on the 29th October, 1914, and would give union nien preference provided the Amalgamated Society could furnish hun with the number of engineers which he required. (See paragraph 11.) 56. On the 23rd February it was reported that unskilled men were turning and boring shells in the 15-inch Shell Shop at 6d. or 6|d. per hour. 57. On the 25th February Mr. Brodie, the Clyde District Delegate of the Amalgamated Society, and Mr. Kerr, an assistant to Mr. Bunton, together with Mr. Kirkwood, interviewed Mr. Chisholm, the Manager at Parkhead, with reference to the wages paid to the unskilled men in the 15-inch SheU Shop. Mr. Chisholm explained that the Shell industry was a new industry in Scotland and that the commencing rate of pay then in operation, viz., 6d. per hour, was in accordance with the scale which had been laid down by the Government. 58. On the Evening of the 25th February a Meeting of the Glasgow District Committee of the Amalgamated Society was held and the matter was brought up for discussion, but in consequence of the absence of the two Shop Stewards of the SheU Shop adjacent to the 15-inch Shell Shop the matter was postponed until the next meeting of the District Committee. 59. On the 2Qth February, a report was received by the Board of Trade from Mr. Bunton stating that the engineers at Parkhead who were members of the Amalgamated Society objected to the employ- ment of non-union soldiers. The Board of Trade accepted this as a report of a difference under the Munitions of War Act, 1915, and pro- ceeded to make enquiries of both the Management and Men with the view of referring the dispute to arbitration. But prior to the strike the dispute had come to an end as only one man had refused to join a Union and he wished to leave the Works. 60. On the 29th February, women were introduced to work in the New Howitzer Shop under the Dilution Scheme. During the dinner hour (and therefore in the employees' own time) Mr. Kirkwood, who was employed in the Tool Room of the G.H. I. and K. shops, came into the New Howitzer Shop, and in company with Messrs. Hanton and ■Currie, who were the Shop Stewards for the Amalgamated Society in that Department, met the women who were coming into the shop to •commence their work and stopped and addressed them. 61. Miss Taylor, the Welfare Superintendent, whose evidence was corroborated by another witness. Miss Agnes Brown, gave the follow- ing account of the incident to the Commissioners for the Dilution of Labour, who held an enquiry into the matter in April, 1916. Miss Taylor : " We were coming in to work after dinner, and he stopped us half-way with the words ' Stop ' or ' Halt ' : ' allow me to introduce you to my two Stewards. Any trouble or grievance which you have, you see them about, and they will make it all right. Of course, you will not know who I am, but if you do not, you soon will,' and he then walked away." Mr. L. Macassey, K.C. : " Did he introduce the two Stewards to the girls ?" 21 Miss Taylor : " Yes. I did not know who he was, and I walked a little way apart from him so that I did not catch the names of the Stewards. He said, ' You'll find them over there ' (and pointed to where it was in the shop) ' if there is any trouble.' " Mr. Macassey : "Did he ask your permission before he stopped the girls ?" Miss Taylor : " No, I was consulted in no way about it. It was a very impertinent way of stopping anyone." Mr. Mitchell : " Were j'ou surprised ?" Miss Taylor : " Yes." Sir Thomas Munro : " Did he stop all of you in a body ?" Miss Taylor : " The girls had each other's arms, and I was a little ahead of them. He cried ' Stop ' or ' Halt,' and I went back vvfondering what it was, and that is what I heard. He walked away after saying that." 62. Mr. Kirkwood's account of what occurred is as follows : — " It was the second day that the girls were there that I went over. I do not remember whether it was breakfast time or dinner time, but instead of going to my work — it is on the road to my house — I went into the Howitzer Shop and I got the two Shop Stewards, Hanton and Currie, and I told them : — ' The girls are all here. You just come with me and I will introduce you to the girls, so that everything will be in order' ; and we went over just as the girls were coming from the cloakroom to their machines. I stopped them on their way and said, ' Just a minute, girls ; I wish ,to introduce you to the two Shop Stewards. These are the two Shop Stewards in this Department, and if anything is wrong — and everything is not right as you know — just let them know. If anyone interferes with you, report the matter to these men. There is no use telling you who I am. If you do not know, it won't be very long before you do know,' and I bade them goodbye and went awa)'." ''•3. Mr. Hanton's account is as follows : — " He (Kirkwood) came over and asked me how things were going on. I told him that the women had been started there the previous morning. It happened at breakfast time, and he took the other Sliop Steward and myself up and gathered the girls round him along with their mistress. The girls numbered about twelve •jr thirteen, and he said to them : ' Allow me to introduce you to, the two Shop Stewards. Any complaint you have of anything not going right with you, just inform these two men about it and they will immediately inform me.' He also said : ' There is no necessity of telling you who I am, you will know that in good time.' " 64. On the following morning, Ist March, Mr Hanton went into the New Howitzer Shop to the machine operated by Miss Agnes Brown, and asked her to collect the pay lines of the women in the shop and to ask them to join the National Federation of \\'omen Workers. Miss Brown's account of this incident is as follows : — " He asked me if I would collect the pay lines of the girls of the Howitzer Shop on the first Saturday and give them to' him or Mr. Kirkwood, and then said we would be required to join the Society. I said, ' Must we join ?' He said, ' Oh, well, you would be better.' Then Miss Tavlor came out and asked me if I was work- 22 ing my machine. After that he said to me, ' You will remember to get the pay hnes and ask the girls if they are willing to jom, and the Shop Stewards will arrange a meeting." 65. The same morning, 1st March, Miss Taylor, the Welfare Super- visor reported to Mr Chishohn, the Manager of the Parkhead Works, that Mr. Kirkwood and Mr. Hanton had on these two occasions interfered with the girls under her control and as a result Mr. Smailes, the assistant Manager in the new Howitzer Shop, acting on Mr. Chisholm's instructions, told Mr. Hanton that if he or any person again interfered with the girls in a similar manner, they would be dismissed. Mr. Hanton reported to Mr. Kirkwood what Mr. Smailes had said to him and Mr. Kirkwood and Mr. Hanton then went over and saw Mr. Chisholm who repeated the warning and injunction that Mr. Smailes had given to Mr. Hanton, but said he would give them any information about the girls if they would come and ask him. 66. Mr Hanton's account of the interview is as follows : — " Mr. Chisholm said if any of the Shop Stewards went and interviewed the girls and interrogated them as to the conditions they were working under or the rates of pay they were receiving they would be dismissed, as the Shop Stewards had no right to ask the girls such questions and that if they wanted to know any such thing they were to go direct to Mr Chisholm who would give them the information. Kirkwood was practically told to remain at his bench." 67. Mr. Chisholm's account of the interview is as follows : — " I told Mr. Kirkwood and Mr. Hanton that I regarded the two incidents as quite outside any possible function of Shop Stewards, and as an intolerable interference with the mistress of the girls, with whom the Shop Stewards had nothing whatever to do. I took up the position that anything regarding dilution was a matter as between the Shop Committee provided to be formed under the Dilution Scheme and myself, subject to the provisions that any difference between the Shop Committee and myself should be referred to, and decided by, the Dilution Commissioners." 68. On the same evening, \st March, a further discussion of the rate of wages paid in the 15-inch Shell Shop took place at a meeting of the Glasgow District Committee and Mr. Kirkwood has complained that the Committee took no further action in regard to the matter. The District Committee were, however, in order in not doing so having regard to the agreed Regulations. (See Appendix 3, Clause 6.) 69. On the 2nd March instructions were given by Mr. Chisholm that Mr. Kirkwood was not to be allowed to pass through a gate which was reserved for women and which led from the G.H.I, and K. Shops where Mr. Kirkwood worked into the new Howitzer Shop where the women worked. 70. On the following day Mr. Kirkwood was stopped at this gate and upon complaining to Mr. Chisholm was told that he was not to be allowed to use that gate. On the same day, 3rd March, as Mr. Kirkwood says, in consequence of the action of Mr. Chisholm, he tendered his resignation as Convener of the Shop Stewards, and on the Qth March it was accepted by the Shop Stewards and Mr. Shields was elected Convener in his place. 23 71. On the 8th March^ Messrs. Kirkwood, Hanton and Currie addressed a meeting of the women employed in the new Howitzer Shop which they held after working hours, in the street adjoining, and recom- mended them to join the National Federation of Women Workers. 72. On the lUh March Mr Kirkwood received a letter dated the previous day from Mr. Montgomery the Manager of the Mill Department, asking for his comment on the action of the Engineers in that department in stopping work on Saturday at 5 p.m. instead of working on to 6 p.m. as directed by the Management under an arrangement which had been agreed to by Mr. Kirkwood acting on behalf of the men in question. Mr. Kirkwood (although he was not at that time the Convener of Shop Stewards) went to Mr. Chisholm to ask permission to go to the Mill Department in order to investigate the matter with the men concerned but permission was refused. Mr. Kirkwood was evidently very much •surprised and annoyed by this, as he had never before been denied such permission under any similar circumstances, and he reported the matter to the Shop Stewards in the course (pf the day. They held a meeting that evening and decided to send a deputation to the management. 73. On the 15th March the first deputation to the Management, which was of Shop Stewards and included Mr. Kirkwood, interviewed Mr. Chisholm. Admiral Adair, a Director of the Company, came in during the later stages of the discussion. The deputation claimed that the Convener of the Shop Stewards at Parkhead should have unrestricted freedom to go about the different Departments at any time, where, \\'hen, and to whom he liked. Mr. Chisholm told the deputation that before any Convener could leave the work in his own Department and gcj into another Department he must obtain either the permission of himself, or of his chief Assistant, and that the rule had always been observed by the previous Convener. He also told the deputation that . in his view they were endeavouring to establish a claim for the future that the Convener should have the absolute right without obtaining any permission to go when he liked to the different Departments of the Works and that this could not be permitted. 74. It was also stated by Mr. Chisholm and Admiral Adair that they explained at this interview that the engineers would be afforded all reasonable facilities for ascertaining what were the wages and conditions of employment of the women introduced under the Dilution Scheme and that the books of the Firm would be open to their inspection if they desired, but that they could not be permitted to go about amongst tlie women and interrogate them during working hours on any matters. 75. Mr. Shields, the acting Convener, asked Mr. Chisholm to arrange an interview between the deputation and Sir William Beardmore as Mr. Chisholm told the deputation that they had the .right of appeal from him to Sir WiUiam. An interview was accordingly arranged for the same afternoon, viz., 15th March. 76. During the interval between the first deputation and the second deputation Mr. Kirkwood obtained an informal interview with Sir William Beardmore and Mr. Chisholm. At this interview Mr. Kirkwood claimed the right as Convener of the Shop Stewards to go round the different shops as and when he desired, but Sir WiUiam Beardmore declined to accept this view, and said that he had no objection to his enquiring into any case if he previously obtained permission from the manager to go to a particular shop for that purpose, and further that there was no wish on the part of the firm to Tteep from the Shop Stewards any information which it was necessary for them to have. 24 77. Sir William Beardmore in his evidence before the Dilution Commissioners said that the main thing was that law, order and discipline in the management of the shops must be maintained, and that if the Convener wished to go to any other Departments of the Works to see one of the other Conveners or Stewards and discUss any matter with him it must be done in a constututional manner, namely with the know- ledge and permission of the Engineering Manager of the Works. Mr. Kirkwood said in reply that the men insisted that he should have the right which he had asked for and that if the Firm did not consent to give him such faciUties the men would strike. Sir WiUiam Beardmore in his evidence said — " I think I expressed astonishment at his state- ment. As far as I remember I said to him — ' I cannot believe it, I cannot conceive it possible. I do not think it possible that the men could be such fools.' Apparently he concluded they would not disregard the Regulations imposed by the Munitions of War Acts which restricted stoppages of work. 78. At 3.30 p.m. on the same day {\5th March) a second deputation of Shop Stewards waited upon Sir WiUiam Beardmore and Mr. Chisholm.. This deputation made a request similar to that which they had previously made to Mr. Chisholm, but Sir William Beardmore declined to grant it for the reasons which he had previously explained to Mr. Kirkwood alone. Sir William Beardmore says " that he informed the deputation after they had stated that Mr. Kirkwood had threatened to resign the Convenership of the shop stewards unless he obtained the privileges - asked for that that was no affair of his (Sir William Beardmore's) but that he must emphatically say at once that the privileges would not be granted because the Firm could not possibly manage the place otherwise and that discipline must be maintained in the management of the shops and that it was tantamount to doing away entirely with discipline if such things were to be permitted." 79. The same evening {15th March) the Shop Stewards at Park- head decided to call meetings of the men to place the matter before them and on the l&h March during the breakfast and dinner hour meet- ings of the men were held. 80. The same evening {\&th March) the Shop Stewards held a meeting of their own and decided that unless the facilities withdrawn were restored they would recommend a strike on the following day, Friday, 17th March, at noon. They also appointed a deputation from amongst themselves to meet Mr. Chisholm on the following morning and communicate this decision to him. 81. On the nth March, at 10 a.m. a third deputation of the Shop Stewards interviewed Mr. Chisholm and informed him that if Mr. Kirk- wood was not allowed his former facilities a strike would take place at noon that day, but Mr. Chisholm informed the deputation that their contentions could not be agreed to. 82. On the \lth March, at noon, the strike commenced. 83. During the afternoon some of the electricians and the soldier- workmen came out on strike in sympathy with the engineers. 84. At 3.30 p.m. on March \lth a fourth deputation of engineers and electricians, including Mr. Kirkwood, interviewed Sir William Beardmore, Admiral Adair and Mr. Chisholm with the object of discussing the situation as it then existed. Sir William Beardmore stated that the matter had been reported to the Clyde Dilution Commissioners 25 and was therefore out of his hands, but he read over to them the clause in the Munitions of War Act prohibiting the stoppage of work. It is stated Mr. Kirlcwood. said : " We do not recognise that Act ; we look upon that as a scrap of paper — it is nothing to us." 85. Sir William asked Mr. Kirkwood why he had not brought the A.S.E. Local Officials to discuss the matter with the Firm instead of taking the action into their own hands, and Mr. Kirkwood replied : " We do not recognise them, and, in any case, they are paid servants and have to do what we tell them ; but we do not recognise them, and we have taken this matter into our hands ourselves." Mr. Kirkwood then said : — " You know Sir William, I told you if you did not give me the privileges I asked for the men said that they would come out on strike, and you said that you did not believe it, but we have come here to-day to tell you that they have gone on strike." 86. Sir William again offered to refer the whole matter to the Clyde Dilution Commissioners and to abide by their decision. He said : " If there is any question between us, refer this matter to the Commissioners. If the Commissioners say that I am wrong, and if they grant you the right to your Convener of having the privi- leges asked for, then I will at once concede the question ; but, unless they do that, I must absolutely decline to allow your Shop Convener the privileges asked for." 87. Sir William further said : — "All I can do is to offer you advice, and my advice to you is — go and advise your men to go back to their work at once, send for your recognised Officials and state your claim to them, and, if you do not wish to do this, state your claim before the Commissioners. I call upon you as honest men, to abide by your Agreement (that is the clause of the Dilution Scheme providing for arbitration of disputes). Whatever the finding of the Commissioners is upon this point between us, which is that one point of access to Shops by the Convener of Stewards, I give you my word as far as the Firm is concerned to accept their decision. Go, as honest men, and advise your men to go back and remit the question to the Commissioners." 88. Sir William Beardmore said that so far as information was concerned, the books of the Firm would be open -to the inspection of the men. , 89. At 6 p.m., on March llth, at a meeting of the men at the Louvre Picture Palace, Mr. Kirkwood persuaded the electricians who had come out during the afternoon to return to work as he took the view it was a serious matter and might lead to the destruction of part of the Works at Parkhead if the electricians remained on strike, as the furnaces could not be properly attended to in their absence. He also persuaded the soldiers to return to work as they were subject to military and not civil law. 90. On 18th March at 2 p.m. a joint meeting of day shift and night shift men was held. Mr. Kirkwood presided at this meeting, and it was decided to remain on strike " until their Convener was restored to his former position." D 26 91. On the 22nd March, the following poster was issued by the Commissioners for the Dilution of Labour : — " H,M. GOVERNMENT COMMISSION TO EFFECT DILUTION OF LABOUR (CLYDE DISTRICT). NOTICE TO MUNITION WORKERS NOW ON STRIKE. (1) Our attention is directed to strikes organised to impede and delay the production of war material and that munition workers are being induced to participate therein by untrue statements in reference to the Dilution of Labour in certain establishments. (2) Every Scheme of Dilution put into force by this Commission has provided for the formation of a Shop Committee to discuss with the Management questions arising out of the practical operation of the Scheme, and has provided for the settlement by arbitration without stoppage of work of any such question which cannot be settled by mutual agreement between the Management and the Shop Committee. (3) The Shop Committee in the Parkhead Works of Wm, Beardmore and Co. made certain demands which were not accepted by the Management. Instead of referring those questions to the Commissioners for settlement, or referring them to arbitration, the men in the Parkhead Works have gone on strike in contravention of their own Agreement under the Munitions of War Act, and in breach of the Defence of the Realm Act and the Regulations there- under. (4) The Commissioners in view of these facts draw the attention of the munition workers on strike to the serious nature of their action and to the, necessity in the National interest for immediate resumption of work. (5) To munition workers now on strike who comply with the law and at once return to work, full and ample protection will be afforded. Against those who continue on strike immediate proceedings will be taken under the Acts above mentioned. Lynden Macassey. Sir Thomas Munro. L H. Mitchell." 92 The Amalgamated Society of Engineers also issued the follow- ing notice : — "AMALGAMATED SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS. The Strike of members of the above Society at these works is unauthorised. It violates the Agreement the Society has made with the Govern- ment. Its continuance is against the interests of the Societv, the Country and the men themselves. It aids the cause of our Enemies. Those members who are desirous of assisting and supporting Trade Unionism and Country should resume work immediately. It will be assumed that those who do not resume work at once are antagonistic to the best interests of the Society and the Country No benefit or recognition of any kind can be given to those on strike." 27 93. Between the 25th March and 5th April the ten men previously mentioned in paragraph 51 were deported. 94. On the 4th and 6th April the strike ended. 13. INQUIRY BY THE DILUTION COMMISSIONERS. 95. Between the 6th April and 17th May, 1916, the Commissioners for the Dilution of Labour (Clyde Area) held an enquiry and received evidence from the Management of the Works and the Men, including Mr. Kirkwood. They afterwards made a confidential Report on the matter. By the courtesy of the Government we have been allowed to refer to this Report and in our opinion it did not justify the policy adopted before their Inquiry took place. 14. ALLEGED CAUSES OF THE STRIKE. 96. Three grievances were alleged to have caused the strike viz : (1) the introduction at Parkhead of non-union labour, (2) the employ- ment of shell turners and borers at less than skilled rates of pay in the 15-inch shell shop and (3) the restriction of facilities for enabling the Convener of the Shop Stewards to visit various parts of the Parkhead Works. The following unsigned Manifesto was issued by the leaders of the men on strike ; — " Fellow Workers, We stopped work on Friday, 17th inst., and have been on strike since. During the eighteen months of War our Shop Stewards have given every assistance possible towards increasing the output. The Convener, Brother David Kirkwood, has been specially active in this respect, having, with the approval of the Management, used all his influence in removing every cause of friction, and even in finding the ever-necessary additional labour. While labour was scarce and no chance of reducing our status existed, our employ- ers granted facilities to Brother Kirkwood to visit the various engineering departments where, in the interests of the workers or the joint interest of workers and employers, his service as Chief Shop Steward was temporarily required. The utmost harmony prevailed, and the management expressed gratification with such friendly relations. About two months ago the Commissioners appointed by the Government to ^►troduce the Scheme for the Dilution of Labour in the Clyde area, visited Parkhead. We received them in the most cordial manner, and an Agreement was made by which the employers pledged themselves not to use this scheme for the purpose of introducing cheap labour, and also to give a Committee appointed by the skilled workers an opportunity of seeing that this pledge was kept. But immediately after our consent to the scheme was obtained a new spirit was felt in the workshops. Soldiers, mostly Englishmen, were brought in, and these refused to join a Trade Union. An Agreement existed to the effect that aU men employed must be Trade Unionists, but in the case of the soldiers the Foremen did not apply this rule, as they did with other tradesmen engaged and we had no means of enforcing compliance with it. 28 In one shop, known as the 15-inch Shell Shop, over 100 men were put to work at lathes turning these sheUs, and at horizontal boring machines boring these shells at a rate of sixpence per hour. Machines of tlife" type have been always manned by tradesrnen who receive the standard rate of wages for engineers in the district. In another shop, known as the Howitzer Shop, women were introduced, and on our Shop Stewards visiting this shop to ascertain the conditions of female labour, the Management strongly protested, and contended that Brother Kirkwood, or any other Shop Steward had no right to discuss the question of wages or con- ditions with the women workers. Previously our Chief Shop Steward had perfect freedom to visit this shop if he felt it necessary to do so. Next came instructions to our Chief Shop Steward, Brother Kirkwood, that on no account was he to leave his bench without permission from the Management during working hours. All these things and various smaller changes, made it obvious to us that our Trade Union representatives were to be bound and blindfolded while the trade by which our means of life are obtained was being reduced in the interests of capitalists to the level of the most lowly occupation. We feel that during the period when unskilled labour is engaged in our industry more than ordinary freedom is required by our shop stewards to ensure that under the cloak of patriotism greedy employers are not allowed to ruin our trade. This would be a very modest demand on our employers in view of the concessions we have made, but instead of being granted the greater facilities necessary, we are being deprived, as already stated, of the limited freedom we enjoyed. In reply to the question as to why we did not act through official channels, we wish to state that we submitted our grievances about the introduction of non-union soldiers to the Board of Trade, but, as far as we know, our complaint was not noticed. We directed the attention of our paid officials to the cheap labour in the shell shop, but they failed to protect us. Therefore, when the restriction was imposed on our shop Stewards, we felt that our only hope lay in drastic action by ourselves. Fellow workers, we are fighting the battle of all workers. If they smash us, they wiU smash you. Our victory will be your victory. Unite with us in demanding that during the present crisis our Shop Stewards in every workshop where dilution is in force shall have the fullest liberty to investigate the conditions under which the new class of labour is employed, so that this ma\- not be used to reduce us all to a lower stand^d of life." 97. We enquired into all the grievances mentioned in this mani- festo. With regard to grievance No. 1 relating to the introduction of non-union labour, we have stated the facts in paragraphs 54, 55, and 59. We are of opinion that the Firm did not break the terms of the Agreement of the 29th October, 1914, inasmuch as they carried out their undertaking to employ Union labour to the extent to which such labour was available, and they gave preference to Union labour. Apart from that the dispute is one which under the Munitions of War Acts should have been referred for settlement without stoppage of w.^rk. The strike had commenced before the expiration of the 21 days during which the Board of Trade were authorised to inquire into the matter and decide as to referring it to arbitration. Moreover, as explained this particular grievance had practically been disposed of before the Strike began. 29 98. With regard to grievance No. 2 relating to the employment of shell turners and borers at less than skilled rates of pay, we consider the Firm were in order inasmuch as this was a new industry which had not previously been carried on at the Parkhead Works, and they were pajring the minimum rates of wages authorised by the official circular L. 3. (See paragraphs 56, 57, 58 and 68, also Appendix 3, clause 6.) 99. The District Committee of the Amalgamated Society, through jMessrs. Bunton, Brodie and Kerr, promptly rendered help to Mr. Kirk- wood and the men in meeting the Firm and dealing with the grievances relating to the non-union soldier-workmen and the alleged under- payment of unskilled shell turners and borers employed to dilute labour in the 15-inch Shell Shop, and in our opinion there was no adequate justification for the suggestion in the manifesto issued by the strike leaders that the responsible officials of the Union did not attend to these two particular grievances. 100. In connection with grievance No. 2, Mr. James Clark (who succeeded Mr. Kirkwood as Chief Shop Steward at Parkhead Forge after his deportation) when giving evidence on behalf of the men at the Inquiry by the Dilution Commissioners on 6th April, 1916, handed to the Commissioners a copy of a document which he stated was an agreement which had been made at Woolwich Arsenal. This was sub- sequently found to be a very inaccurate document, which was afterwards termed the " spurious agreement." It had created a misleading impres- sion in the minds of the men amongst who it had been circulated. It read as follows : — " London Workers' Committee, Hon. Secretary, Sam C. Bradley, 17, Martin Bowes Road, Well Hall, Eltham, S.E. 27 3 '16. Copy Agreement Signed by Arsenal Superintendent. Men's representatives shall say whether male or female. ]\Ien insist on females where possible so as to better safeguard our trade interests. When diluted labour leaves their employment, no reference as to their ability or recognising them in any way as being skilled workers. That our members shall not be forced to leave the Arsenal, and it is not the intention of the Management to remove them, except he receives orders from the Government, and diluted labour is intended to fill shortage of the new factories only. All diluted labour must remain on one operation only, and all diluted labour must he paid the district rate, A. S.E. That the Management \vill allow us to say who the diluted labour shall be, and in what proportion, also what class of work they shall do. Also that skilled workmen shall have preference in being given work when anv are available." 30 101. It has since been ascertained that the text of the genuine Agreement was as follows : — " Working Arrangement for the Dilution of Skilled Labour IN THE Ordnance Factories at Woolwich. In each group of the shops the skilled workmen will be permit- ted to choose a Representative from amongst their ranks who wiU be consulted by the Manager with regard to the several descnptions of work on which members of skilled trades are to be temporarily replaced by semi-skilled or unskilled workers, and also as to the description of worker, male or female, from whom the substitute should be selected. It shall likewise be the duty of such Representa- tive to suggest to the Management any description of work on which temporary replacement could, in his opinion, be effected with advantage. Should there be any points whereon the Manager and the men's Representative are unable to agree, these will be referred, as they arise, to the Superintendent of the Factory, or, if need be, to the Chief Superintendent of Ordnance Factories, who will resolve the matter judicially with the Manager and the men's Representative acting as assessors. The men's Representative will continue to hold his position as such until all the semi-skilled and unskilled substitutes appointed under the scheme for dilution of skilled labour shall have been removed from the skilled work to which they have been advanced. (Signed) Vincent L. Raven, Acting Chief Sup't. of Ordnance Factories. (Signed) Tom Rees, District Sec'y of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers. 19th February, 1916." 102. Both at Glasgow and upon our return to London we enquired closely into the origin of the " spurious agreement " and found that it was reproduced in Glasgow from a letter received from an employee at Woolwich Arsenal, who had neither a copy of the real agreement nor correct notes of it before him at the time of writing. He simply set down what he remembered of the heads of the agreement and intro- duced in the course of his letter (without any explanation or distinction) his own comments upon the agreement. He never anticipated that it would be copied for general distribution in the Clyde District, nor did he imagine that anyone would regard it as a copy of the real agreement. He never intended it to be taken as such. The letter arrived about the time the Strike was in progress, and, unfortunately, it helped to cause an inaccurate local opinion on the question of the proper rates of pay for unskilled labour employed for purposes of dilution. 103. In our view there was not sufficient justification for advancing grievance No. 2 as a reason for the Strike, but in any case it should have been submitted for settlement without stoppage of work, in accordance with the provisions of the Munitions of War Acts and the Agreement made between the Firm and the Workmen (through the medium of the Dilution Commissioners) on the 26th January, 1916. 31 104. It was really grievance No. 3 relating to the curtailment of the facilities previously allowed to the Chief Shop Steward which was the direct cause of the Strike. We are of opinion that there were substan- tial grounds for this grievance and we propose to deal fully with the whole matter in the next Section of this Report. 105. Before leaving this Section, however, we must record our regret at the attitude Mr. Kirkwood adopted towards the local officials of his own Trade Union when he accompanied the deputation which interviewed Sir. Wm. Beardmore, Admiral Adair and Mr. Chisholm on the afternoon of March 17th, as described in paragraph 85 ; also the similar attitude he adopted on the occasion of Mr. Lloyd George's visit to Parkhead Forge in company with Mr. Henderson in December, 1915. The latter incident was described in " THE WORKER " (the organ of the Clyde Workers' Committee) as follows : — " Kirkwood turned dramatically towards Mr. Henderson, and declared, while waving his hand, ' We repudiate this man ! He is no leader of ours. Brownlie has been told the same to his face. And if you, Mr. Lloyd George, want to know the mind of the workers, don't go to these men." 106. Such an attitude — especially in front of employers and representatives of the Government — ^was likely only to injure the prestige of the Labour Movement and of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, and to render the onerous duties of its responsible Committees and Officials still more difficult. 15. THE "RIGHT TO SEE" GRIEVANCE. 107. With regard to the alleged curtailment of the facilities enjoyed by the Convener of Shop Stewards, Mr. Kirkwood informed us that Tie would put the position as follows : — " As Chief Shop Steward he was permitted and encouraged to visit any of the departments in which Trade Union business demanded his presence or where his influence might remove dif- ficulties and prevent friction, and that at the request of the Manager he frequently visited during working hours the local headquarters of the Trade Union in search of Engineers. He also stated that prior to the 1st January, 1915, the Shop Steward whom he succeeded only had the privilege of going into departments in his own particular shop, but that commencing from the date of his (Kirkwood's) appoint- ment as Convener of Shop Stewards the practice grew up, to whicH no objection was taken, of his going over the whole of the \^'orks as distinct from the s^iops in his own department." 108. From the evidence which was adduced both before the Dilution •Commissioners and ourselves, it was clear that Mr. Kirkwood was fre- quently requested by the Firm to obtain men to fill posts in the works and to adjust differences which arose in their other shops at Parkhead besides the particular shop in which he was employed. It was also made clear to us that Mr. Kirkwood frequently made visits to other shops for the purpose of dealing with grievances which had been brought to his notice independently and not through the Firm and that he either obtained permission to visit the shops for this purpose or told the Head of his shop he was going and was not forbidden. 32 109. Although we find as a fact that these visits were made by Mr. Kirkwood either at the request or with the knowledge and acqui- escence of the Firm, it is important to note that Mr. Kirkwood was constantly making these visits sometimes at the request of the Firm and sometimes because he had received reports or information regarding difficulties in other Departments, and that in no case prior to the 14th March was such permission refused. . (See paragraph 72.) Mr. James Clarke at the last meeting before the Commissioners summed up the position in these words : — " The actual facts of the case are as follows :— Kirkwood according to Mr. Chisholm's own admission had been given invariably permission to go to other Departments to deal with disputes on obtaining permission. He applied for permission (on this particular occasion) and was refused." Sir Thomas Munro (one of the Commissioners) : " There is no doubt about that on the evidence." 110. It will be seen, therefore, that the practice which had grown up was that either at the request of the Firm or with their know- ledge and acquiescence Mr. Kirkwood had gone on matters of Trade Union business to any part of the Shops and it was only on the 14th March, 1916, that any restrictions of the practice were definitely imposed upon him. It was made clear in the evidence given before the Dilution Commissioners that the Firm had found on many occasions that his intervention had been very useful to them and that he had considerable influence with the men. 111. We made close inquiry as to whether, after the deportations had taken place, any restriction of the facilities enjoyed by Mr. Kirkwood had continued and we were assured that they had not and that the practice pursued by Mr. Kirkwood had been resumed. In particular we questioned Mr. Jas. Clarke, the Convener of Shop Stewards, on the subject with the following result : — Q. "When you leave your own place to go into another Depart- ment as Convener of Shop Stewards do you need to have Mr. Chis- holm's consent ?" A. " I do not." Q. " That is quite satisfactory ?" A. " I do not ask his permission." 112. We have already referred to the Agreement which was made between the Firm and the Workmen with the approval of the Commis- sioners for the Dilution of Labour on the 26th January, 1916. (See paragraph 17.) Clause 2 of the conditions to this Agreement provided " that a Committee appointed by the skilled workers be accepted by the employers with power to see that this arrangement (i.e. the Agree- ment) is loyally carried out. FaiUng agreement between the Employers and the Committee the matter to be referred to a final Tribunal, mutually arranged, or, failing agreement, appointed by the Board of Trade." 113. No shop Committee appears to have been expressly appointed for this purpose, but (apart from there being some— though not conclusive —evidence that Mr. Chisholm, the Firm's Manager, intimated that he at the time accepted the Shop Stewards as a Committee for the purpose of this Agreement), it would appear that the Firm on the one hand and the Men on the other hand tacitly regarded the Shop Stewards as a Committee for the purposes of Clause 2 of the Agreement, and of these Shop Stewards there is no doubt that Mr. Kirkwood was the spokesman and representative. 33 114. Sir William Beardmore informed the Dilution Commissioners on the 15th April, 1916, that " he attached importance to the constitu- tion of the Shop Committee referred to in the Agreement as a means of relieving any grievance that might exist in the Works by permitting a vehicle for discussion between the Management and the Shop Committee as representing the men," but Sir William Beardmore added, referring to what occurred at his interview with the Deputation from the men when he asked them " Where is your Committee ?" — " I said :^ The Agreement has authorised your Committee and your Committee can request an interview with the Management when you can discuss in a proper constitutional manner whatever points there are to be discussed. As far as I am aware you have not even formed your Committee. You have certainly not notified the Management that you wish an interview on any of the points in a proper, constitutional manner. Surely, until that takes place, there can be no difference of opinion, but, assuming there is the difference which you state there is, then according to the next part of the Clause that is provided for, because it says that in the event of any difference between your Committee and the Management the matter is to be referred to the Commissioners." 115. As further showing the position we quote the following additional paragraphs from Sir William Beardmore's evidence : — " When I pointed out to them that theire was a clause in the agreement which provided that any question which might arise between the employer and the employee should be referred for settlement, Kirkwood took out of his pocket a copy of that agree- ment — the agreement which was made with you, Mr. Macassey, at which we were aU present some time ago — and he read that agree- ment over and he made a point with regard to one clause in that agreement in which it was worded that the Committee of the workers had power to see that the several clauses previously enumerated were loyally carried out. He read that over and he interpreted the ' power to see ' as giving them the rights of going round the shops and personally interrogating any worker." The Chairman (Mr Lynden Macassey, K.C.) : " During working hours ?" Sir William Beardmore : " At any time. I at once declined to accept that interpretation of that clause and I again asked him to read over the clauses of the agreement before the Committee and myself. The Committee were there at that Meeting, all listening, when he again read over this document, clause by clause. Then I said, ' That document clearly says that first of all you. have to appoint a Committee from amongst yourselves. That Committee has to confer with the Management and discuss whatever points there are between us. Anything you wish to know, make your request, and the Management will answer you. As far as I am informed you have not even appointed your Committee and there has been no request for any conference between your Committee and the Management." The Chairman : " When you said that they had not appointed the Committee, did they make any reply ?" Sir William Beardmore : " They said they had appointed a Committee and that they had given in certain names of the Com- mittee, I think, to the Manager, but they agreed that they had not asked for a proper interview as between the Committee and the Manager." 34 116. It was evidently the view of Mr. Kirkwood and the deputation, although they did not so express it in a definite phrase, that a purely technical objection had been raised with regard to the " power to see " clause of the Agreement of the 26th January, 1916. In our opinion Sir Wilham Beardmore, Admiral Adair and their Manager, Mr. Chisholm, should not have made such a technical point (the omission to expressly appoint a Shop Committee for the purposes of the Agreement) the pivot of a strike in a time of national crisis, when in fact an adequate and representative Committee existed, by whatever name it was called, and was virtually before them at that moment. 117. The Shop Stewards' Committee had for a long period been recognised as a medium for discussion between the Management and the Men, and if the Management had been desirous of solving the difficulty speedily and amicably and they did not consider the Shop Stewards' Committee had been properly constituted for the purposes of the Agreement, they could at once have reached the crux of the situa- tion which then existed by saying, "Well now, in our view your Shop Stewards' Committee or this deputation does not adequately comply with the terms of the Agreement we made last January, and we think you should go and get the men to appoint your Shop Stewards' Committee or some other persons to act as your Committee under that Agreement, and then if that Committee will come and see us to-morrow morning we will discuss the grievance about which you are now concerned." 118. We cannot find that any such suggestion was made by the Management or that they appreciated the seriousness of the position which was then developing. 119. Apart, however, from the specific question of the appointment of the Workmen's Committee, it does not appear to us unreasonable, in view of ah the circumstances then existing, that the men and Mr. Kirkwood should have pressed for a continuance of the practice under which he was allowed facilities to go to any part of the Parkhead Works for the purpose of inquiring into grievances, seeing that the agreement of 26th January, 1916, gave the workmen permission to see that the dilution arrangement was loyally carried out. 120. In our opinion it ought not to have been a ver\- difficult matter for the Firm to have made a reasonable arrangement with the men under which Mr. Kirkwood would have acted similarly to the single Representative described in the genuine Agreement made at Woolwich Arsenal on February 19th, 1916, between the Acting Chief Superintendent of Ordnance Factories, Sir Vincent L. Raven, and the District Secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers in company with a deputation of the workmen. Upon reference to this document (see paragraph 101) it will be observed that the " power to see " to the carrying out of the special war working arrangements was entrusted to one representative of the skilled workmen, and, in our view, that arrangement provides a far more economical and expeditious method than that of dealing with every real of supposed grievance through the formal Committee upon which Sir William Beardmore insisted so strongly. 121. We found that an arrangement of the kind desired by the Engineers at Parkhead Forge was made the same month at Messrs Barr and Stroud's Works, and embodied in the agreed circular which we reproduce in Appendix 4. We are of opinion that if a similar Agree- ment had been made with the Shop Stewards at Parkhead Forge the Strike might have been averted or settled very quickly. We are also - 35 of opinion that not only were Sir William Beardmore's apprehensions as to the destruction of disciphne in his workshops under any such wangement really unwarrantable, but that a larger measure of co-opera- tion between the Workmen's Rpresentatives and the Management in the carrying out of the Dilution arrangements would have been distinctly beneficial. 122. Of course any substantial difficulties could properly have been the subject of consideration by the Committee and of discussion between them and the Management, and in the event of a dead-lock being reached, they should certainly have been referred to the Dilution Commissioners. But for ordinary every-day working purposes we are strongly of opinion that it would have helped to allay unrest and to establish a feeling of confidence amongst the workmen that the Dilution Scheme would not be manipulated to their disadvantage if the Firm had agreed to accord a reasonable measure of freedom to the Chief Shop Steward to enable him to inquire, without hindrance or delay, into griev- ances reported to him by the other Shop Stewards. 123. It is quite clear from the evidence that the Firm themselves were very pleased to utilise Mr. Kirkwood's services in this way when it suited their own purposes, and the fact that the first step towards limiting his movements arose because he was taking an interest in the working arrangements and the terms of emplo5mient under which the newly introduced and unorganised women workers were being started (see paragraphs 60 to 67 and 69 to 71) naturally aroused the suspicions of the general body of skDled workmen, who had from the very inception •of the dilution proposals been apprehensive that their present and future interests might be permanently injured by the new arrangements. 124. In view of the great changes that were being made in workshop practice, and of the patriotic sacrifices of the skilled workmen in suspend- ing their Trade Union rules and customs to meet the National emergency, we consider the statements made by the Firm's Manager, as contained in paragraphs 66 and 67, to have been such as were likely to arouse < their resentment. They expected their Shop Stewards to keep a vigilant eye upon the conditions under which the women workers were employed, and to make direct inquiries of these new-comers on all such matters. Such activities were the very reverse of being " quite outside any possible function of Shop Stewards," and that remark was one which would naturally rankle in the minds of the Shop Stewards and their colleagues. 125. The second act of the Management in the direction of limiting the liberty previously allowed to Mr. Kirkwood arose out- of a specific request by the Manager of the Mill Department (Mr. Montgomery) that Mr. Kirkwood should assist him to deal with an overtime difficulty that had arisen amongst the men in that Department. This was the kind of request that had often been made previously by Works' Managers in various Departments at Parkhead Forge, and Mr. Kirkwood had always been willing to do what he could to bring about an amicable adjustment of such difficulties, and had never been denied the necessary time for such purposes. When, therefore, it was made evident that even such facilities which were as beneficial to the Management as to the Employ- ggg ^^ere being curtailed, it caused the skilled workmen to come to the conclusion that there was a deliberate intention on the part of the Manage- ment to encroach upon their position and allow Mr. Kirkwood no opportu- nities whatever of seeing fair play in connection with labour questions in the various shops. 36 126. It was not suggested in any of the evidence adduced before the Dilution Commissioners when they, in April and May, 1916, inquired into the causes of the Strike, that Mr. Kirkwood spent any undue amount of time in attending to the inquiries in question ; and we have no reason to think he would have done so or have otherwise abused any lacilities that might have been agreed upon. 127. In any case, a fair understanding might easily have been arrived at with regard to the time to be aUowed, and if the Jr'irm sub- sequently thought they had a right to complain upon that point or any other detail connected with this working arrangement, they could have made that the subject of discussion with Mr. Kirkwood and the bhop Stewards' Committee. 128. The Firm do not appear to have suggested any adequate reason for their action in seeking to curtail the facihties which had pre- viously been allowed without objection, and the evidence tends to show that they reUed unduly upon the restrictive clauses of the Munitions- Acts to enable them to decline the request of the men for the restoration of those facilities. 129. Nevertheless, the men ought to have remitted their grievance to the District Committee of the Amalgamated Society with a full report upon the change of attitude on the part of the Firm in respect of the facilities previously allowed to Mr. Kirkwood as Chief Shop Steward. We could not find that this was ever done. On the contrary, we were informed by representative witnesses from the Amalgamated Society that " no official information regarding the Strike was sent to the District Committee or to the Executive Council" ; and that " the inen acted on their own initiative and refused to consult the District Officials." Their action throughout, as members of the Amalgamated Society, was un- constitutional. 130. Mr. Kirkwood admitted that he was aware of this and that • the Strike was out of order under the Agreement of the 26th January, 1916, and the larger agreements that had been made between the National representatives of his Trade Union and the Ministry of Munitions. Apparently, however, the men felt that unless they disregarded these restrictive arrangements and took immediate action ,_ the facilities which had previously been allowed to Mr. Kirkwood and which had been suddenly stopped by the Firm, would never be restored. 131. We are of opinion that no strike would have taken place in connection \^ith the grievances Nos. 1 and 2, but that the Strike in question arose from grievance No. 3. In our view it was a spontaneous outbreak which was the culmination of a long period of irritation and unrest precipitated by what the men regarded as a definite encroachment upon their " right to see " that the Dilution Agreement of January 26th, 1918, was fairly carried out. 132. The men were under the impression that Mr. Kirkwood had for a long time enjoyed the free and unrestricted right to visit any of the Workshops and that it was not really necessary for him to obtain permission before doing so. There appears to have been some lack of clearness in the minds of Mr. Kirkwood and the men as to the difference between his going over the Works with permission which was never refused, and not going over them except with express permission in each case, but the grievance came to a head when even the usual permission was 37 denied, although as previously explained, Mr. Kirkwood's application arose from a request from the Manager of the Mill Department to assist him with a difficulty in that department. In our view, the Firm brought the trouble upon themselves by the attitude they adopted over this incident and over the Shop Stewards' inquiries amongst the women- workers a few days previously. 133. In face of the numerous circumstances which were connected with, the Strike, we feel compelled to say that the statement made in the House of Commons on March 28th, 1916, by Dr. Addison (on behalf of the Ministry of Munitions) that " the movement which is now in pro- gress is in no way connected with any industrial grievance, and is plainly being organised and directed to hold up certain particular munitions of War of which the Army in the Field is in most urgent need," and that " loyal workers on various pretexts are being deliberately intimidated into participating in this movement " was not in accord- ance with the facts. 16. CONTRIBUTORY CAUSES OF THE STRIKE. 134. Although the circumstances preceding the Strike were as we have stated, we are of opinion that there were other contributory causes of an older and more deep-seated character. For a very con- siderable time industrial unrest had existed in the Clyde District. It showed itself in an open manner about the middle of February, 191.5, when, although the cost of living had seriously increased, the employers in the Clyde District refused to meet an application for an increase of 2d. per hour to men engaged in the Engineering trades. The unrest then resulted in a strike which, beginning from one or two shops, rapidly spread throughout the whole area. Mass meetings were held and reso- lutions were unanimously passed that the men should remain out until the terms of their demands were granted, and ultimately, after a very great deal of iU-feeling had been engendered, the men's requests were conceded. 135. A further contributory cause of the unrest was the speech which Mr. Lloyd George made at Bangor on the 28th February, 191.5, in which references were made to the restriction of output by the Clyde workmen. A report in the " Glasgow Herald " stated that he had said : " I say solemnly that it is intolerable that the life of Britain should be imperilled for the matter of a farthing per hour." References were also made to ciUeged drunken habits of the workmen and comparisons were drawn between Russia, France and Britain. These remarks caused great indignation amongst the men engaged in the workshops on the Clyde and developed additional unrest. 136. There were also general causes of unrest for which the Firm were in no way responsible but which in our view, should have caused them to be as sympathetic and considerate as possible with their work- people. The great strain of the continuous overtime worked in order to increase the output of munitions was having its inevitable effect upon, their physical constitutions. Further, they were indignant at the unchecked rise in the prices of food which, in their opinion, was due to profiteering by unpatriotic traders. 137. Again, the workmen in the Engineering trades were particu- larly affected by the restrictive special Legislation which had been put into operation by the Government and which very definitely limited their Right to Strike — a right which they regarded as their most effective safeguard against unfair encroachment. Added to this was the general 38 fear of what was termed " Industrial Conscription,"' which was often hinted at in the Press. At the same time workmen were being brought before the Munitions Tribunals and fined or imprisoned for offences under the Munitions Acts. 138. All these circumstances had an adverse effect upon the minds of large numbers of perfectly patriotic workmen who were suffermg from the overstrain of the efforts they had made to assist in the production of munitions, and who ought, in our view, to have been treated with the utmost consideration. 139. Unfortunately, so much unrest and iU-feeling was eventually engendered that the Government deemed it necessary to appoint a Commission " to enquire into the causes and circumstances of the appre- hended differences affecting munition workers on the Clyde," and the Right Hon. Lord Balfour of Burleigh and Mr. Lynden Macassey, K.C., were appointed as the Commission. Their Report, which was made in December, 1915, contained the following significant admissions and recommendations : — " One important fact is disclosed by our Inquiry so far as it has gone : While the munition workers have certain substantial matters of legitimate complaint, a considerable number of the differences brought before us were not so illustrative of dispute on definite matters of principle under the Munitions of War Act, 1915, between munition workers and employers generally as they were indi- cative of local friction, surrounding the relationship of particular employers and employees and attending the operation of the Act in the case of certain trades in the service of particular employers. Whenever friction arises in a particular munitions establishment between an employer and his workmen, even although it seems to have no very tangible foundation and to involve no definite principle but to be laTgely the outcome of indiscretion or inconsideration . on one side or the other it leads to a state of irritation among organ- ised workers which quickly spreads beyond the boundaries of the establishment where the trouble first arose to other works, and frequently from adventitious causes whoUy unconnected with the origin or merits of the dispute it becomes elevated into a question of principle affecting all employers and munition workers generally throughout the district. To deal quickly with the trouble at its source is the only effect- tive method of eradicating industrial differences, which are so apt to gather volume if left long uncontrolled." 140. As indicating the general atmosphere which existed during this period, Mr. Chisholm, the Manager of Beardmore's Works, in his evidence before the Diliition Commissioners with regard to the Strike of March, 1916, said :— " I think that for the last 18 months I have been living in a constant atmosphere of threatened trouble and strikes." The Chairman (Mr. Lynden Macassey, K.C.) : " Just give us that evidence." Mr. Chisholm : " I have had a constant repetition, since the War began or soon after the War began, of deputation after deputation, and I should say that while I had one deputation before the War, since the War began I have had 40 or 50 deputations, small and large grievances requiring perhaps the attention of one 39 Steward or Kirkwood alone or a number of them. During all that period I have lived in an atmosphere of suspicion, distrust, threatened strikes, threatened stoppages of work, and, if I might speak personally^ of torture. I do not attach it specially to any individual. I do not wish any of my remarks to attach to any individual. That is the position for the last 18 months or there- abouts and, to say just when this very trouble occurred, I cannot. It simply broke out in that particular case in that manner, but I have been dreading something of the kind month after month." The Chairman : "In your view it was merely an occasion on which pre-existing trouble took an opportunity to exhibit itself ? " Mr. Chisholm : " An accumulation of distrust and trouble and a readiness on the part of the minority of the men to take such action, and thus what followed was the opportunity to begin. I fear that that is my view of the case." 141. To our minds, this evidence indicated the existence of an unhappy state of affairs, and showed that Mr. Chisholm himself was feeling the strain of the exceptional stress under which the Engineering industry was being carried on. It seems to us that his troubles might have been eased considerably by the granting of facilities to Mr. Kirkwood to act as a recognised " grievance hearer " who would focus any com- plaints in a clear and practical manner and assist towards their adjust- ment by discussion with the Departmental Managers or with Mr. Chishohn himself. Experience had shown that Mr. Kirkwood was quite capable of acting helpfuUy in the manner suggested, indeed the evidence just quoted from Mr. Chishohn tends to confirm that view. 17. THE DEPORTATIONS.— OFFICIAL ORDERS, PROCEDURE, SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCES, &c. 142. Supplementing the brief particulars which we have given with regard to the arrest and deportation of Mr. Kirkwood and the other nine men concerned (see paragraphs 51 and 52), we give the follow- ing information. 143. Mr. Kirkwood was arrested on the 25th March, 1916, by virtue of Section 14 of the Defence of the Realm Consolidated Regulations, the material part of which reads as follows : — " Where a person is suspected of acting, or of having acted, or of being about to act in a manner prejudicial to the public safety or the defence of the Realm and it appears to the competent naval or mihtary authority that it is desirable that such person should be prohibited from residing in or entering any locaUty, the competent naval or military authority may by order prohibit him from residing in or entering any area or areas which may be specified in the order, and upon the making of such an order the person to whoiifi the order relates shall, if he resides in any specified area, leave that area within such time as may be specified by the order, and shall not subsequently reside in or enter any area specified in the order, and if he does so, he shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations." 40 144. When Mr. Kirkwood was arrested, he was served with the following document : — " Order Prohibiting a person Residing in or Entering Specified Areas. By virtue of the powers conferred on me under regulation No. 14 of the Defence of the Realm (Consolidation) Regulations 1914 :— I, Lt. Gen. Sir John S. Ewart, K.C.B., being a Competent Military Authority under the said Regulations do hereby order that David Kirkwood of 3, St. Mark's Street, Glasgow, shall not, except with permission in writing from me or from other Competent Military Authority, reside in or enter any of the following areas : — The County of the City of Glasgow, and The Counties of Argyll, Bute, Lanark, Ayr, Renfrew, Dumbarton and Sterling, including all burghs within a geographical limit thereof, and further that the said David Kirkwood do, before 12 o'clock noon on the 25th day of March, 1916, leave the area above designated. I further order that the said David Kirkwood shall report his proposed new place of residence (which must not be within any of the areas above specified) to me through the Chief Officer of Police for the City of Edinburgh, for my information and approval not later than 12 o'clock noon on the 26th day of March, 1916, and shall, before 2 p.m. on the 26th day of March proceed to the residence in Edinburgh so approved of by me and report his arrival to the Chief Officer of Police for the district in which that residence is situated (who will forthwith communicate it to the Competent Military Authority). And I further order that the said David Kirkwood shall not subsequently change his place of residence without the leave of the Coinpetent Military Authority for the area in which his said approved place of residence is situated. Given under my hand at Glasgow on the 25th day of March 1916. John Spencer Ewart, Lt. Gen. Commanding in Chief Scottish Command. Competent Military Authority. This order shall be read over, and a copy thereof handed to the person named in the order in the presence of a witness and the witness shall sign the following declaration : This order was read over to David Kirkwood in my presence. John McG. Rimpsey, Chief Detective Inspector. Witness. 25th March, 1916." 146. The other nine persons were arrested and served with similar orders under the same Regulations. 146. We have ascertained that the Military Authorities did not act on their own initiative but that the arrests followed upon a recom- mendation made by two of the Dilution Commissioners (Mr. L5niden Macassey, K.C. and Sir Thomas Munro) and the Procurator Fiscal, which was in the following terms : — H.M. Government Commission to effect Dilution of Labour in the Clyde District, Central Station Hotel, Inquiry Office, Room 108. Glasgow. 24th March, 1916. We, the undersigned, having considered the action taken by the following persons, namely, Kirkwood, Wainwright, Haggarty, Shields, and Faulds, who are workmen in the employment of Sir William Beardmore and Co., Ltd., Parkhead, and engaged on the production of vitally urgent war material, are of opinion that the action taken by those persons in themselves striking and thereby obstructing the production of that material, and the action of the aforesaid, and also of J. M. Messer and McManus, who are workmen in the employment of G. and J. Weir's, Cathcart, in instigating to strike other persons similarly engaged, is action on their part which is seriously prejudicial to the public safety and the Defence of the Realm : and further are of opinion that it is desirable that such persons should be prohibited from residing in, or entering any district within the limits of the area known as the West Scotland .Munitions Area. We are further of opinion that such persons should be required to leave that area forthwith on receipt of an Order to that effect by the Competent Military Authority. In the opinion of the two Signatories to this document, namely, Mr. Lynden Macassey and Sir Thomas Munro, who are members of the Government Commission on the Dilution of Labour in the Clyde District, an Order by the Competent Military Authority prohibiting the persons above-mentioned from further residing in the aforesaid area should be made at once in order to frustrate the attempts which the persons aforesaid are making to organise strikes of munition workers. Lyxben Macassey. Thomas Munro. P Fraser McKenna. (Procurator Fiscal)." 147. Lieut. Col. C. B, Levita, M.V.O., in his evidence before us ^vas extremely frank as to the position of the Military Authorities in the matter. He explained how he had discussed the matter with Sir Spencer Ewart who was the Officer in charge of the Scottish Command and who, he stated, "was always most anxious there should be no military pressure or punishment inflicted in a Labour trouble." He added : — " His instructions to me were like this : " We must have quiet ; do what you can to keep these men away ; let them go where they like ; I am not going to take a hand in a Labour trouble ; it is not for me to say whether either side is right or wrong, whatever the grievances of either employer or employed are ; all I am concerned in is that it is my duty to see that the output of munitions is not interfered with." 42 148. And again, speaking of his own position as the Competent Military Authority, Lieut. Col. Levita said : — " The situation was simply this. There was disturbance and difference which the Labour people and Dilution of Labour Commission had for weeks failed to settle between themselves. The output of munitions was being seriously interrupted. You know what the state of affairs was in France at that time — so the soldiers stepped in and said : ' Well, we do not care which is right and which is wrong, aU we know is that there is a disturbance, that you men are reported to us as fomenting the trouble and as centres of disaffection. For goodness sake, go away somewhere else, go and work where you can.' That was the attitude we took ; not one of punishment but one of prompt settlement." 149. But obviously on this line of reasoning the Competent Military Authority might as well have arrested Sir William Beardmore, Admiral Adair and Mr. Chisholm as Mr. Kirkwood and the other workmen. 150. The manner in which the arrests were conducted aggravated matters. Some of the men were arrested when in bed at 3 a.m., after they had been working until late the previous evening. When arrested no charge was made against them apart from the order of deportation being read over in their presence. A very casual and perfunctory enquiry took place, more in the nature of an informal conversation directed to ascertain their indentity (as the result of which Mr. Faulds was released), and to convince them that they had been acting unwisely. 151. No offer of a trial was made by the Authorities, but whilst the men were under Military surveillance informal conversations took place between them and the Military representatives, and on one of these occasions when the men were Complaining that thej^ had been arrested without the opportunity of a trial, Lieut. Colonel Levita (with whom the men appear to have been on quite good terms) said : " Oh, well, if you like it better we will put you all in the Court," but we could not find that any definite offer of a trial was ever made. 152. Colonel Levita said on this part of the case, " We wanted to get rid of the men ; to get them away forthwith, and to put them on trial would have been a very slow process. I asked Major Gardiner to give me his recollections of this interview. He was present with me on this occasion. Major Gardiner was the Chief Intelligence Officer. This is his statement : — " C. R. Sc. C, 73673 (G) Statement by Major Gardiner. To the best of my recollection the only occasion on which the alternative of a trial was definitely referred to by Colonel Levita in my presence was during an interview between him and Kirkwood Haggarty and McManus. On that occasion Colonel Levita inter- jected ' if you hke it better we will put you all in Court ' or words to that effect, whereupon Haggarty leaning forward in his chair exclaimed : ' No, no. Mister, we don't want any trial,' or words to that effect. While this was proceeding, Kirkwood remained silent with his head buried m his hands. McManus made no remark ' The interview then continued along other lines. Gordon Gardiner, Major. Intelligence Officer, General Staff. Scottish Command." 153. We feel bound to say that we cannot regard the objection 1;hat a trial in a Civil Court would have been " a very slow process " as being at all adequate. In view of the urgent need of the services -of every engineer in the country and the desirability of clearing this trouble up properly, we have no doubt the ordinary procedure of the Courts could have been accelerated in this case ; and in our view whether the men asked for it or not they should have been put on trial rather than deported without trial. But we are of opinion that either course might have been avoided if the Dilution Commissioners had taken the alternative steps suggested in paragraph 155. 154. Whilst fully sympathising with the anxiety of the Army representatives for the uninterrupted production of munitions at that period, we think it will be plain to all who are acquainted with Industrial problems that the Military attitude of mind as revealed in paragraphs 147 and 148 is altogether unsuited for dealing with Labour difficulties and that it is extremely desirable that all such matters should be dealt with entirely by Joint Labour Boards or Commissions, or, in the last resort, by the Civil Authorities. 155. We are rather surprised that, instead of getting into consulta- tion with the Military Authorities and the Procurator Fiscal, the Dilution Commissioners did not intervene in the dispute at Parkhead Forge and endeavour to call the Management and the Shop Stewards together along with themselves and local Trade Union Officials for the purpose ■of inquiring into the grievance, and, if possible, settling the Strike without resorting to the very exceptional measures that were adopted. Accord- ing to Sir William Beardmore, they were informed of the trouble immedi- ately the Strike commenced on March 17th, and it will be seen upon reference to Paragraph 91 _ that they issued a notice to the men on Strike on 22nd March. In our view they should have intervened in the manner suggested above, instead of recommending the course that was taken •on their joint note of March 24th, to the Military Authorities. {Vide paragraph 146.) 156. We are not overlooking the fact that the Shop Stewards showed no disposition to refer the matter either to their own Trade Union Officials or to' the Dilution Commissioners ; but if the latter had •offered to intervene and their offer had not been accepted by the Work- men's Representatives, there would have been far stronger reasons for exceptional measures than existed in the absence of an attempt to deal with the trouble in any other manner. From the statements made by Sir William Beardmore, as given in paragraphs 76, 86, and 87, it seems that he would have agreed to some properly-regularised arrange- ments for the Chief Shop Steward to visit other Departments than the one in which he happened to be working, and we think it very unfortun- ate that action in this direction was not attempted by the Dilution ■Commissioners. 157. The fact that the men did not respond to Sir William Beard- more's suggestion that the matter should be referred to the Dilution •Commissioners would not justify a conclusion that they would have refused an offer of mediation which came direct from the Commissioners themselves. We have no doubt that if the latter had invited the District Officials of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers to accompany them on such a mission they would willingly have done so and we think it pos- sible that the whole trouble might have been settled amicably. 44 158. We have shown that the Commissioners did institute an Inquiry and take evidence from the Workmen and the Management after the deportations had taken place, and, to us, it seems deplorable that that course was not adopted as soon as possible after the Strike commenced. 159. Mr. Kirkwood does not appear to have sought any employ- ment after being deported. In our opinion he was overwrought and the occurrences had seriously affected his health. Some of the men obtained employment but others found it difficult to do so because when employers ascertained that they were deportees, even although the applications were made through the Labour Exchanges and supported by Colonel Levita, they refused to engage them. The followdng are copies of typical letters which were forwarded in connection with this part of the case, and we gladly express our appreciation of the kindly disposition displayed towards the individual deportees by Colonel Levita, . and of the active steps he took to assist them to obtain fresh employment. " Sir, — Reference letter, which I now return, from Thomas Clark. You may make any arrangements you Uke which will facilitate the supervision of these men. All that is required by the Military Authorities is to be assured that they have not returned to the area which they are prohibited from entering. Beyond that the men should have the greatest freedom and as little supervision as possible. It is hoped that they will get employment and continue in same. They should in no way be treated as aliens or criminals. The full intention of the MiUtary Authorities is that they shall be as free as any other British subject, provided they do not enter the prohibited area. They selected their own places of residence and they can change them subject to the foregoing. I am, Sir, Yours faithfully, C. B. Levita, Lieut. Colonel, General Staff) Scottish Command. The Chief Constable, Chief Constable's Office, Banff, N.B." ■' C. R. Sc. C. 73673 (G) 6th May, 1916. Dear Sir, It has been represented to me that you have recently decided not to engage Mr. Messer, of Balerno, who has applied to you for employment as an engineer. I venture to request that you will reconsider your decision if it was in any way connected with the fact that Messer in company with others was removed by the Military Authorities from the Clyde Munition Area. I suggest that it will be for the pubUc benefit if all these men can speedily be settled in employment. I believe that no appre- hension need now be felt as to their behaviour in a new environment. As it is being stated that the men are being debarred from earning their living, an undesirable agitation is being kept alive. 45 I trust you will pardon my intervention, but in my capacity cis Chief of the Staff I am concerned in these difficulties, which I confidently believe you will assist to solve if possible. I am, dear Sirs, Yours faithfully, C. B. Levita, Lieut. Colonel, Messrs, HUl, Craig and Co., General Staff, Scottish Command. Paper Mills, Balemo, Midlothian." 160. As the men were deported in the manner indicated and €xperienced difficulty in obtaining fresh employment their families had considerable monetary difficulties and, representations as to this were made to the Government, who ultimately announced that they had made pajonents to the dependents of the men. These payments seem to have been quite inadequate, as appears from the following list : — Particulars of Sums of Money Paid Through the Ministry of Munitions, Glasgow Area Office, to Deported Clyde Workers and their dependents 1916. / s, d. ;£ 3. d. November Mr. T. Clark — House Rent Mrs. a. E. Haggerty . . Mrs. M. Haggerty Mrs. Kirkwood Mrs. McManus Mrs. Wainwright Mrs. Shields . . \ Mrs. Kennedy Mrs. Bridges . . December April May- June September April May June September April May April May June April May June April May June May June / s, d. 3 16 3 3 16 7 1 10 2 1 7 10 10 5 10 10 3 15 Mr. Buntom (to pay to the four dep- ortees who went to Liverpool : — Messrs. R. Wainwright, J. M. Messer, S. Shields, A. McManus) June 2 5 3 1 5 12 6 2 10 1 5 1 10 2 1 1 5 12 6 2 10 1 5 5 5 5 12 10 4 7 ]-2 10 12 6 5 5 5 12 fi 4 10 5 12 6 5 5 5 12 10 4 Total : 61 10 8 46 Accounts at the date of our enquiries which remained to be paid : 3 3 1 Due to the Great North of Scotland Railway Co. for removal of Kennedy's furniture from Buckie to Glasgow (Forwarded to MM, London) Due to William McMillan, Junr. Contractor, Glasgow, for re- moving the furniture of Messrs. Wainwright, Shields and Messer, Glasgow to Liverpool (awaiting particulars as to estimates) . . . . • ■ ■ • • ■ ^^ '■^ ° 46 15 7 161. As a result of continued efforts on the part of Mr. Henderson; as described in paragraphs 176, 176, and 177, the Ministry of Munitions eventually agreed to the deported men being allowed to return to Glasgow if they signed an undertaking to take no part whatever in any strike or any other action likely ^o hinder the production of munitions, and agreeing to refer any grievance they might have to their Trade Unions. The text of this undertaking was as follows : — "I of hereby undertake that if I am permitted by the Military Authorities to remain in or near Glasgow, I will, while there, remain at work at my trade, provided that suitable work is available, and will, during the continuance of the War, take no part, directly or indirectly, in any stoppage of work or in any action designed to secure a stoppage, or in any other action which is likely in any way to delay or interfere with the manufacture or supply of munitions, or any other work required for the successful prosecution of the War. I undertake further that should I have any grievances which I consider to require redress, I wiU submit them to be dealt with through the usual constitutional channels by the recognised Trade Union to which I belong. Signed Date Witnessed : — " 162. Some of the men signed this undertaking and resumed resi- dence in Glasgow but others refused to do so and Mr. Kirkwood was not given the option of signing until some months later. He then refused to sign and repeated his refusal, but in February, 1917, he was invited to sign a simpler form, which ran as follows, but he declined to do so : — " If returned to Glasgow I promise to undertake no action likely to interfere with the production of Munitions of War, and to submit any industrial grievance I may have to my Trade Union." 18. ACTION TAKEN BY THE AMALGAMATED SOCIETY OF ENGINEERS. 163. It would not be possible to give in a concise form anything like an adequate account of the action which was taken by the Amalga- mated Society of Engineers, through the medium of the District Com- mittee and Executive Council, with regard to the various matters which have come under our notice as affecting the members of that Society. To set out the details would increase the dimensions of this Report to an impracticable extent. We are therefore compelled to content our- selves with stating that we have devoted special attention to the part played by the District Committee and Executive CouncU of the Society in connection with.these matters, and in our opinion no justifiable com- plaint can be made against them. 47 164. It should be borile in mind that since the War began the Executive Council and District Committees of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers have conducted very extensive negotiations between the members on the one side, and the Government and Firms on the other side, and that they have succeeded in obtaining enactments and agreements which ought to prove of the greatest possible value to the workers during and after the War. There is no doubt that the local and national representatives of the Society have, since the War began, had to contend with a vast amount of work. New and pressing questions arose, one after another, before preceding questions could be finally disposed of, and we think it was the duty of those members who joined the Clyde Workers' Committee and who alleged that delays were taking place, to have endeavoured to arrange for additional assistance to be given to the overworked local Officials in view of the exceptional pressure which was being experienced. 165. It will be appreciated that the difficulties with which they had to contend were considerably increased by the fact that the Clyde Workers' Committee was acting, or trying to act, as an independent body without any settled policy, and was often quite out of harmony with the Society. The Shop Stewards, to whom, in accordance with the constitution of the Society, the District Committee looked for accurate reports as to what was taking place, failed in this respect, and some very important developments were not brought to the notice of the Society. The first intimation that the Strike on 17th March, 1916, had commenced was received by the local Officials of the Society through the Press, and the resignation of Mr. Kirkwood as Convener of Shop Stewards on 3rd March, 1916, was never communicated to the District Committee. 166. Notwithstanding that the Strike was an unauthorised and irregular one, the Officials of the Society, in the public interest and with the view of allaying the unrest which was increasing, did their utmost to overcome the difficulties which had arisen in consequence, and to assist the deportees and the general body of workmen who were interested. The Executive Council got into communication with Mr. Henderson and had an interview with him on April 22nd, when the whole matter was discussed. It was then arranged that the Executive Council should have an interview with the Ministry of Munitions, and this took place on April 27th, when the Council used every endeavour to get the deportees returned to their homes. 167. These efforts were followed up by the Executive Council as opportunity offered, but they did not press for the ten members to be placed on trial as they were informed by members of the Council who had direct knowledge of the local circumstances and of opinion in the District, that the men affected did not desire a public trial and that they would be rendering a disservice to them by asking for one. This is in harmony with the statement by Major Gardiner quoted under paragraph 152 ; but we nevertheless consider that the men should have been put on trial rather than deported without trial. 168. The difficult position in which the members who went on strike at Parkhead Forge had placed the Society was made quite clear by the witnesses who gave evidence on behalf of the Executive Council. They said : — " We desire to emphasize the fact that the Strike which occurred at Parkhead Forge and subsequently spread to other establishments in the Clyde area was an unconstitutional stoppage, and our atti- tude throughout was neccessarily determined by this fact, in accord- ance with the Rules of our Society 48 Not only was the stoppage unconstitutional, but no official information upon it was sent to the District Committee or to this ■Council. Throughout the men acted on their own initiative and expressly refused to consult the District Officials. . . . We hold strongly that the men in question were deported, not because of their membership in the Society, or of any action taken in connection with the Society, but on account of action which they took as members of a body with which we have no direct concern, namely, ' The Clyde Workers' Committee. When this body took to itself unconstitutional powers which involved its members in the violation of the constitution of this Society we could not be expected to protect them from the consequences of their own acts, if they were not prepared to comply with the consti- tution. We would repeat that we have on every occasion used all our endeavours to secure fair treatment and a return to. their homes for ■our deported members, but that we have done this not because of, but despite, the unconstitutional action which these members took, and which we regard as inimical to the best interests of the Society and of the Trade Union Movement. Furthermore, we would point out that our action was fully borne out by the subsequent decision of a democratic body repre- senting the whole of our membership. In July, 1916, the Final Appeal Court of our Society had before it a number of claims from various branches for the payment of benefit to members who had been engaged in the unconstitutional stoppage. These appeals were dismissed. Appeals were also lodged on behalf of the members deported, and these appeals, too were dismissed on the ground that the deportations arose out of an unconstitutional stoppage. This we think, clearly shows that in the action which we took we had our members behind us." 19. ACTION TAKEN BY MR. HENDERSON 169. With regard to the action which Mr. Henderson took in -connection with the matter, he was, as is generally known, the Chairman of the National Advisory Committee on War Output. In that capacity he was aware that for several months considerable unrest had existed in the Clyde district which, it was stated, had arisen out of decisions given and the policy pursued with respect to dilution by the Ministry of Munitions. The situation was carefully considered and eventually the Minister of Munitions, Mr. Lloyd George, visited Glasgow in December 1915, in order that he might hear first-hand from the workers themselves particulars of their grievances. It was obvious that the position was very unsatisfactory and that it had not improved as a result of Mr. Lloyd George's visit. 170. Mr. Henderson therefore, on his return from Glasgow, advised the Minister of Munitions to appoint Commissioners who would visit the affected area, meet the representatives of the Unions and, if necessary, the workers themselves, hear their grievances and explain the scheme of dilution sanctioned by the Ministry of Munitions, and take prompt and decisive action. It was as the result of this suggestion that Mr. Lynden Macassey, K.C., Sir Thomas Munro and Mr. Isaac H. Mitchell were, as already stated, appointed Commissioners for the Dilution of Labour on the 19th January, 1916. 49 171. Mr. Henderson, in consequence of his other duties, did not come into direct personal contact with the matter again until about 25th March, 1916, when he was informed that it had been decided by a Conference, at which he was not present and which was held at the Ministry of Munitions on the previous day, that instructions be given to the Military Authorities with a view to removing the leaders in respect of whom, in the opinion of the Dilution Commissioners and the Procurator Fiscal, there was reasonable ground to believe that they had incited the men to strike. 172. Mr. Henderson at once endeavoured to acquaint himself with the detailed particulars of the case and on March 30th he met the Executive of the Federation of Engineering and Shipbuilding Trade Unions at the House of Commons and intimated that the Government were anxious that they should be placed in possession of full information with regard to the Clyde trouble, and that they looked to the Officials of the Trade Unions to prevent an extension of the strike and to assist to obtain resumption of work at the earliest possible moment. 173. After considerable discussion, the following resolution was agreed upon : — " That this meeting regrets to learn of the series of strikes amongst munition workers in the Clyde District, and having regard to the serious situation created by the stoppage of the supply of munitions so urgently required to defend their fellow-members in the trenches, urges them to resume work- at once, and whatever their grievances are, to have them brought before their respective Trade Unions for adjustment. Further that the executives of the Affiliated Unions will not recognise any stoppage of work on the part of munition workers where the provisions of the Munitions of War Acts have been violated." 174. After the deportations had taken place resolutions in con- siderable numbers reached Mr. Henderson asking that the men should be set free, but more particularly emphasising the need for some provision being made for their dependents. As a result of his intervention with the Ministry of Munitions he was informed on April 7th that they had telegraphed to Glasgow telling the Commissioners that the dependents should be paid an allowance sufficient to keep them from want during such period as might reasonably be occupied by the men removed in finding work. Later in the same month he took further action in con- junction with the Executive Council of the men's Trade Union as described in paragraph 166. 175. On July 17th, 1916, the National Advisory Committee on War Output, of which Mr. Henderson was Chairman, forwarded the following resolution to the Ministry of Munitions : — " The National Advisory Committee on War Output are of the opinion that the men deported from Glasgow should now be returned to their homes and assisted to obtain employment provided they agree to have their grievances dealt with through their Trade Unions and take no part in encouraging stoppages of work during the War period in any trade engaged upon munitions or other material."' 176. This resulted in the arrangement described in paragraphs 161 and 162 which some of the men availed themselves of. The fact that the grievance over which the Strike arose had not been referred to the Amalgamated Society of Engineeers (of which all the deported men were members) was held to justify the wording of the form they invited to sign. 50 177. From the time of the deportations taking place onwards, Mr. Henderson appears to have used his influence as far as circumstances -allowed to mitigate the position of the deported men and to have them •returned to their homes as early as possible. 178. - It wiU therefore be seen that Mr. Henderson, when he became aware that the unrest in the Clyde area was extending, prevailed upon the Minister of Munitions to visit the disaffected area and subsequently to appoint a Commission to deal promptly and on the spot with disputes as they arose. Further, that although he exercised a general mfluence with a view to overcoming the difficulty and meeting the legitimate demands of the workers he had no personal responsibiUty for anything which immediately preceded the Strike, nor for the decision which was ultimately taken on 24th March, 1916, to arrest and deport the men. 179. Mr. Henderson in his evidence made it quite clear to us that so far as he was concerned he would have preferred that the men should not have been deported but should have been put on trial, and that whilst he recognised that there was ground for some action he would not himself have advised the kind of action which was taken. Sub- sequently he did all that was possible, having regard to' his position as a member of the Government and to the fact that he was not directly responsible for the decisions which had been made, to arrange for assist- ance to be given to the families of the men who were deported and to -mitigate the results of the action which liad been taken. 20. MR. KIRKWOOD'S POSITION. 180. The evidence which has been given by the Competent Military Authority, the Firm, and his colleagues at the works shows specifically that Mr. Kirkwood was an upright and conscientious man, and that he was also a very capable workman who never needed to want a job. It is obvious that he was an enthusiastic Trade-Unionist and that he was looked up to with great respect by his fellow-workmen. The Manage- ment bore testimony to the fact that he had great influence with the men and, apart from the Strike, had never used if improperly. 181. No evidence whatever was submitted to the Dilution Com- missioners nor ourselves showing that Mr. Kirkwood endeavoured to bring abo'at a strike or incited the men to leave their work, but he admit- ted having decided to .stand with them after they went on Strike. He told the men that his faciUties for safeguarding their interests had been curtailed and the strike movement thereupon spontaneously arose. 182. Mr. Kirkwood dissuaded the Electricians from joining the Strike on March 17th, 1916, because he reaUsed that if the whole of the Works were left unattended by the Electricians that night, the results would have been very serious indeed. He also dissuaded some of the ■soldier-workmen from joining the Strike as he apprehended that the ■€onser]uences might be more drastic for them than for civilian workmen. 183. But as Chief Shop Steward for the Amalgamated Society •of Engineers, under the Rules described in paragraphs 22 and 26, Mr. Kirkwood should have reported the whole matter to the Office of the District Committee at 18, Carlton Place, Glasgow, and invited their -co-operation in securing the rectification of the grievance which had -caused the Strike. His omission to do tliis, and the manner in wliich he referred to the Of&cials of the Society during his interview with Sir William Beardmore on March 17th {vide Paragraph 85), and on other •occasions, were very deplorable and injurious to the interests of Trade Unionism. 51 184. In our opinion, if the matter had been properly reported to the District Committee of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, steps would have been taken to deal with the grievance in a proper manner, and to support the men concerned in any reasonable action that might have been necessary in connection with it. 21. CONCLUSIONS. 185. The conclusions at which we have arrived in the preceding paragraphs may be summarised as follows : — 1. — Neither Mr. Kirkwood nor any of the other workmen deliberately organised the Strike or consciously endeavoured to prevent the delivery of any particular munitions of war. 2. — The Strike was a spontaneous outbreak on the part of the men and a protest against the restrictive actions of their employers. It formed the culmination of a long period of industrial unrest arising out of the arrangements made for the dilution of labour and the decisions given under the Munitions of War Acts. 3. — ^The unrest had been accentuated by the special restrictions placed upon the workmen and by their apprehension as to the introduction of " Industrial Conscription," also by the continued increase in the cost of living which was held to be due to profiteering by unpatriotic traders. 4. — The Special Commission appointed by the Government in the Autumn of 1915 " to inquire into the causes and circumstances of the apprehended differences affecting munition workers on the Clyde " reported in December, 1915, that many of the workmen's grievances were justified, and an endeavour was made by the Munitions of War (Amendment) Act, 1916, to remedy the causes of some of their grievances. 5. — There was a substantial grievance at Parkhead Forge in connection with the desire of the workmen to see that the terms of the Dilution Agreement of the 26th January, 1916, were carried •out fairly, and the Strike was due to a belief on the part of the workmen that Messrs. Beardmore & Co. were desirous of abolishing the facilities previously accorded to Mr. Kirkwood as their Chief Shop Steward which were intended to secure this result. 6. — ^The grievance of the workmen was not, however, properly formulated and had not been placed in the hands of their recognised Trade Union officials ; and, having regard to this fact, and the provisions of the Munitions of War Acts, and the failure to comply with the Dilution Agreement of 26th Januarj^ 1916, the Strike was irregular. 7. — The incidents which precipitated the Strike were the refusal to allow Mr. Kirkwood on the 3rd March, 1916, to visit the Howitzer Shop where the newly-introduced women were employed, and a similar refusal on the 14th March to allow him to go to the Mill Department, although he had been ofhcially communicated with by the Manager of that Department with respect to an over- time question over which a difficulty had arisen. 8. — When Mr. Kirkwood visited othe^ Departments of the Works previously for the purpose of avoiding or removing difficulties of the workmen, he did so at the request or with the consent of the 52 Management, and the practice of the Management in invariably allowing him to go to other Departments whenever he wished to do so was treated by him and the men as an informal acquiescence in the practice which had developed since he haa become Ohiet Shop Steward, and which he claimed and (by having exercised it for many months) believed himself to possess as a nght, 9.— The facihty claimed by Mr. Kirkwood was not, under the circumstances, an unreasonable one, and an arrangement of that kind was brought into operation in March, 1916, at the works ot Messrs. Barr & Stroud Ltd., under the authority of an agreed notice printed by that firm — see Appendix 4. 10.— A working arrangement made at Woolwich Arsenal on 19th February, 1916, between Sir Vincent L. Raven and the District Secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers was analogous in many respects to that which was desired by the Engineers at Parkhead Works, and we think it an excellent basis for Workshop agreements — see paragraph 101. 11.— Since this Strike Mr. Kirkwood's successor in the office of Convener or Chief of Shop Stewards (Mr. James Clark) has exer- cised the privilege over which the dispute and the deportations arose. 12. — The point at issue was diverted by Sir Wm. Beardmore during the interview with a deputation prior to the Strike when he contended that the men had not appointed a Shop Committee for the purpose of the Dilution Agreement of the 26th January, 1916. The Shop Stewards' Committee was a recognised body in the Works, and the Deputation then before Sir Wm. Beardmore came from that Committee. If the position required to be regularised, he should have suggested to the Deputation that they should get their Shop Stewards' Committee or some other Com- mittee to act under the Agreement and to see him again over their grievances. We think he might thereby have averted the Strike, but that he missed the opportunity. Apparently he believed the provisions of the Munitions of War Act would deter the men from striking. 13. — The Shop Stewards and the other men were aware that they were acting in defiance of the Munitions of War Act, but we do not think that any appreciable number of them would have adopted that course if they had not been suffering in an acute degree from a general sense of injustice. 14. — In view of the National crisis and the enormously extended business of the Munitions Factories and the new Regulations under which they were being conducted by order of the Ministry of Munitions, we are strongly of opinion that it would have been to the general advantage for the workmen and their Trade Unions to be more closely associated with the employers in carrying out the special Regulations, and particularly the arrangements for the Dilution of SkiUed Labour in the Engineering Shops. 15. — On the question of the claim of some of the workers to complete control of the Munitions Factories, the leading representa- tives of the Cl\^e Workers' Committee and their organ " The AVorker " advocated the view that labour should be allowed to i^harc in the administration and control of workshop arrangements, 53 especially in factories which had been brought under the control of the Government. They denied having stipulated at the meetings addressed by Mr. Lloyd George in December, 1915, that Dilution would not be agreed to unless the Works were handed over to their sole control, but both Mr. Henderson and Mr. Lynden Macassey, who were present at all Mr. Lloyd George's meetings, asserted and reiterated that claims of that absolute character were made b^- members of the Clyde Workers' Committee. 16. — It is quite conceivable that during the somewhat heated controversies which arose at the meetings referred to in the previous paragraph, one or two of the speakers amongst the audiences made an unqualified claim to complete control of the workshops ; but it was made clear to us that the desire of the leading members of the Clyde Workers' Committee was that there should be a system of joint control operated through the Trade Unions in conjunction with the Government and the management in the various Munitions Works. 17. — Mr. Kirkwood and the nine other Engineers were deported without any charge being made against them, and were not afforded a proper opportunity of being tried in a Court of Law. The idea of deportation is one which is very repugnant to British constitu- tional instincts, and we are amazed that the Government, knowing the intense feeling which was aroused in consequence of the Deporta- tion of Labour Leaders from South Africa in 1914, should have adopted a similar method of dealing with a Labour difficulty in this country. The intervention of the Military Authorities in any industrial dispute almost invariably 5nelds a sequel of bitter resent- ment, and we are strongly of opinion that it is infinitely preferable that all such matters should be dealt with entirely by Joint Labour Boards or Commissions, or, in the last resort, by the Civil Authorities. 18. — WhUst sympathising with the anxiety of the Army repre- sentatives for the uninterrupted production of munitions, and appreciating the personal kindness evinced towards the individual deportees by the Competent Military Authority who dealt with them, we must say that the evidence shows that the ordinary Military attitude of mind is quite unsuited for solving Industrial problems. 19. — We think that instead of getting into consultation with the Military Authorities and the Procurator Fiscal, the Dilution Commissioners should have intervened in the dispute at Parkhead Forge, and endeavoured to call the men and the Management together, along with the District Officials of the Trade Unions, for the purpose of enquiring into the grievance, and, if possible, finding a remedy without resorting to the every exceptional methods that were adopted. 20. — The Dilution Commissioners did hold a formal Inquiry and took evidence from the workmen and the Management after the deportations had taken place. In our view it is unfortunate that they did not do so before the Strike commenced, or as quickly as possible afterwards. (See paragraphs 95 and 155 to 158.) 21. — With regard to the Clyde Workers' Committee, we con- sider that it sometimes sought to usurp the functions of the regular Trade Unions, and to disregard their most important respon- sibilities. We strongly disapprove its actions in this direction. 54 22.— The constitution of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers is exceptionally democratic and affords adequate pro- vision for dealing in a proper constitutional manner with any matters in which its members are concerned, and we maintam that trade questions and grievances should in all cases be referred to the responsible Union officials. Further, that if any improvehients or changes in the organisation or administration are desired by any members of Trade Unions they should advocate the same in a constitutional manner through the Branches and other machmery of the Unions. 23.— There was no justification for the allegation against the District Committee of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers contained in the Strike Manifesto of neglect in regard to the question of the employment of non-Union soldiers and the alleged under- payment of unskilled men employed for Dilution in the 15-inch Shell Shop at Parkhead Forge. 24. — The omission to place the grievance regarding the restric- tion of the Chief Shop Stewards' rights in the hands of the Officials of the Amalgamated Society of the Engineers was attributed by the A.S.E. Executive Council to the influence of the Clyde Workers' Committee, of which most of the deportees were prominent members. 25. — Mr. Kirkwood did not deny that on the occasion of Mr. Lloyd George's visit to Parkhead Forge in December, 1915, he repudiated as representatives of Labour both Mr. Arthur Henderson and Mr. Brownhe, the President of his own Trade Union. He adopted a similar attitude when he accompanied a deputation which interviewed Sir Wm. Beardmore, Admiral Adair and Mr. Chisholm at Parkhead Forge on the afternoon of March 17th, 1916. Such conduct could only injure the prestige of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers and the Labour Movement and increase the difficulties of its recognised representatives. From the standpoint of the best interests of Trade Unionism we consider that these incidents, and the failure to report to the Society the circumstances connected with the Strike, were very regrettable. 26. — We are of opinion that the Amalgamated Society of Engineers did all that was possible in the various difficult situations which were frequently complicated by the irregular action of the Clyde Workers' Committee. The Executive Council of the A.S.E. did not acquiesce in the action of the Government in deporting members of the Society but exerted itself to secure their return to their homes as early as possible. 27. — With regard to the action of Mr. Arthur Henderson, the facts which we have set forth show that, although as a member of the Government he could not escape the collective responsibility which rested upon it (as a result of its action), he would not have advised the policy which was adopted in his absence on the 24th March, 1916. Subsequently he did all he could to get the men returned to their homes and he obtained subsistence allowances for their famihes in respect of the period during which they were un- employed. We made special enquiries of the deportees regarding Mr. Henderson, and their general view was that they had no com- plaint to make against him. 55 GENERAL NOTE. 186. We have endeavoured to deal as thoroughly as possible with the whole of the extensive and complicated questions involved in the subject of our Inquiry, and we fully appreciate the exceptional difficulties which surrounded everyone who had to take part in the incidents described. It must have been well-nigh impossible for anyone away from the Clyde District, or unacquainted with the industrial facts and the psychological atmosphere which existed in the workshops during the period under notice, correctly to appreciate the issues which arose or to decide upon the best course to adopt to meet them satisfactorily. We have had the advantage of reviewing the case under more favourable circumstances, and our paramount desire has been to arrive at true conclusions that may be helpful in the future to all who have to handle Labour questions. We hope the result wiU tend to improve the method and policy hitherto- adopted in dealing with industrial disputes. THANKS. 187. We de.5ire to express our indebtedness to the Right Hon. Arthur Henderson, M.P., Col. Levita, M.V.O. and Mr. (now Sir) Lynden Macassey, K.C. who attended before us and submitted extensive verbal and documentary evidence. We are equally indebted to Mr. J. T. Brownlie, the President of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, the other Officials and representatives of that organisation, and to Mr. Kirk- wood and his colleagues, all of whom answered our enquiries with great readiness and in a manner very creditable to them and helpful to the Committee. We wish also to express our thanks to various other persons whom we did not call, but who supplied us with documents and informa- tion bearing upon the subject of our investigation. Some of the witnesses anticipated that in giving evidence -i-hey might be exposed to some amount of risk and criticism, but without exception they displayed the utmost frankness and a' desire to furnish us with the fullest and most accurate information upon which we could frame our Report, and they showed very great interest in the Inquiry. 188. Mr. A. G. Walkden, in addition to serving as a member of our Committee, assumed at our request the additional and onerous duties of acting as our Secretary, and those of us, his colleagues, desire to place on record our indebtedness to him for the valuable help which he has rendered in that capacity and our thanks to the Railway Clerks' Association for providing the necessary clerical assistance in the course- of our investigations. t We are. Yours faithfully, R. Smillie, [Chairman). A. Bellamy, J. HXLL, T. Shaw, A. G. Walkden. October 31s<, 1917. 56 APPENDIX No. 1. THE TREASURY AGREEMENT— 19th MARCH, 1915. ACCELERATION OF OUTPUT ON GOVERNMENT WORK. Memorandum of proposals which the workmen's representatives agreed to recommend to their members at a conference with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the President of the Board of Trade, held at the Treasury on March 17th to 19th, 1915. The following workmen's organisations were represented : Friendly Society of Ironfounders ; British Steel Smelters' Association ; Amalga mated Society of Engineers ; Federation of Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades ; Electrical Trade Union ; Associated Blacksmiths and Iron- workers ; Associated Ironmoulders of Scotland ; National Amalgamated Cabinet Makers ; Steam Engine Maimers' Society ; General Union of Carpenters and Joiners ; United Patternmakers' Association ; National Transport Workers' Federation ; General Union of Textile Workers ; Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners ; Boilermakers and Iron and Steel Shipbuilders' Society ; Ship Constructors' and Ship- wrights' Association ; National Amalgamated Sheet Metal Workers ; United Operative Plumbers' Association ; Gasworkers' and General Labourers' Union ; United Machine Workers' Association ; Associated Iron and Steel Workers of Great Britain ; National Amalgamated Union • of Labour ; Workers' Union ; Amalgamated Society of Woodcutting Machinists ; Amalgamated Toolmakers' Society ; National Amalgamated Furnishing Trades' Association ; National Amalgamated House and Ship Painters and Decorators ; National Union of Railwaymen ; National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives ; General Union of Braziers and Sheet Metal Workers ; Scottish Painters' Society ; Sheet Ironworkers and Light Platers' Society ; Shipbuilding Trades Agreement Committee ; General Federation of Trade Unions ; Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress. The workmen's representatives sl\ the Conference will recommend to their members the following proposals with a view to accelerating the output of munitions and equipments of war : — (1) During the war period there shall in no case be any stoppage of work upon munitions and equipments of war or other work required for a satisfactory completion of the war. AU differences on wages or conditions of employment arising out of the war shall be dealt with without stoppage in accordance with para- graph 2. Questions not arising out of the war should not be made the cause of stoppage during the war period. 57 (2) Subject to any existing agreements or methods now prevailing for the settlement of disputes, differences of a purely individual or local character shall, unless mutually arranged, be the subject of a deputation to the firm representing the workmen concerned, and differences of a general character affecting wages and conditions of emplo3mient arising out of the war shall be the subject of conferences between the parties. In all cases of failure to reach a settlement of disputes by the parties directly concerned, or their representatives, or under existing agreements, the matter in dispute shall be dealt with under any one of the three following alternatives as may be mutually agreed, or, in default of agree- ment, settled by the Board of Trade. (a) The Committee on Production. {b) A single arbitrator agreed upon by the parties or appointed by the Board of Trade. (c) A court of arbitration upon which Labour is represented equally with the employers. (3) An advisory Committee representative of the organised workers engaged in production for Government requirements shall be appointed by the Government for the purpose of facilitating the carrying out of these recommendations and for consultation by the Government or by the workmen concerned. (4) Provided that the conditions set out in paragraph 5 ar^ accepted by the Government as applicable to aU contracts for the execution of war munitions and equipments the workmen's representatives at the Conference are of opinion that during the war period the relaxation of the present trade practices is imperative, and that each union be recommended to take into favourable consideration such changes in working conditions or trade customs as may be necessary with a view to accelerating the. output of war munitions or equipments. (5) The recommendations contained in paragraph 4 are conditional on the Government requiring all contractors and sub-contractors engaged on munitions and equipments of war or other work required for the satisfactory completion of the war to give an undertaking to the follow- ing effect : — Any departure during the war from the practice ruling in our work- shops, shipyards, and other industries prior to the war, shall only be for the period of the war. No change in practice made during the war shaU be allowed to prejudice the position of the workpeople in our employment, or of their Trade Unions in regard to the resumption and maintenance after the war of any rules or customs existing prior to the war. In any readjustment of staff which may have to be effected after the war priority of employment wiU be given to workmen in our employ- ment at the beginning of the war who are serving with the colours or who are now in our employment. Where the custom of a shop is changed during the war by the intro- duction of semi-skilled men to perform work hitherto performed by a class of workmen of higher skill, the rates paid shall be the usual rates of the district for that class of work. 58 The relaxation of existing demarcation restrictions or admission of semi-skilled or female labour shall not affect adversely the_ rates customarily paid for the job. In cases where men who ordinarily do the work are adversely affected thereby, the necessary readjustments shall be made so that they can maintain their previous earnings. A record of the nature of the departure from the conditions prevail- ing before the date of this undertaking shall be kept and shall be open for inspection by the authorised representative of the Government. Due notice shall be given to the workmen concerned wherever , practicable of any changes of working conditions which it is desired to introduce as the result of this arrangement, and opportunity of local consultation with men or their representatives shall be given if desired. All differences with workmen engaged on Government work arising out of changes so introduced or with regard to wages or conditions of employment arising out of the war shall be settled without stoppage of work in accordance with the procedure laid down in paragraph 2. It is clearly understood that except as expressly provided in the fourth paragraph of clause 5 nothing in this undertaking is to prejudice the position of employers or employees after the war. (Signed) D. Lloyd George, Walter Runciman, Arthur Henderson (Chairman of Workmen's Representatives), Wm. Mosses (Secretary of Workmen's Representatives). March 19th, 1915. 59 APPENDIX No. 2. CIRCULAR L. 2 MINISTRY OF MUNITIONS MUNITIONS LABOUR SUPPLY COMMITTEE. RECOMMENDATIONS relating to the Employment and Re- muneration of Women on munition Work of a class which prior to the War was not recognised as women's work in Districts where such work was customarily carried on. (Note : — These recommendations are on the basis of the setting Tip of the Machine being otherwise provided for. They are strictly confined to the War period and are subject to the observance of the provisions of Schedule II. of the Munitions of War Act reprinted in the Appendix*). (1) Women of 18 years of age and over employed on time on work ■customarily done by men, shaU be rated at £1 per week, reckoned on the usual working hours of the district in question for men in Engineer- ing Establishments. This, however, shall not apply in the case of women employed on work customarily done by fully-skilled tradesmen, in which case the women shall be paid the time-rates of the tradesmen whose work they undertake. Overtime and night-shift and Sunday and holiday allowances payable to men shall also be made to women. (2) Where women are prevented from working, owing to brea,k- down, air-raid, or other cause beyond their control, they shall be paid for the time so lost at the rate of 15s. a week as above, unless they are sent home. (3) Women shall not be put on piece-work or premium bonus -systems until sufficiently quahfied. The period of qualification on shell work shall not, in general cases, exceed three to four weeks. (4) Where women are employed on piece-work they shall be paid the same piece-work prices as are customarily paid to men for the job. (5) Where women are engaged on premium bonus systems, the time allowed for a job shall be that customarily allowed to men for the same job, and the earnings of the women shall be calculated on the basis ■of the man's time-rate. * Reproduced under paragraph l.S of this Report. 6o (6) Where the job in question has not hitherto been done on piece work or premium bonus system in the estabhshment, the piece work price, or the time allowed, shaU be based on a similar job previously done by men, on piece work or premium bonus system as j:he case may be. (7) Where in the establishment in question there are no data from previous operations to enable the parties to arrive at a piece-work price or time to be allowed, the price or the time to be allowed shall be so adjusted that the women shall receive the same percentage over the time rate of the class of men customarily employed on the job as such men would have received had they undertaken the job on piece- work or premium bonus system as the case may be. (8) The principle upon which the recommendations proceed is that on systems of payment by results equal payment shall be made to women as to the men for an equal amount of work done. (9) Piece-work prices and premium bonus basis times shall be fixed by mutual agreement between the employer and the woman or women who perform the work. (10) On piece-work, every woman's time rate as per Clause I hereof, shall be guaranteed irrespectively of her piece-work earnings. Debit balances shall not be carried forward beyond the usual weekly period of settlement. (11) On premium bonus systems, every woman's time rate as per Clause I hereof shall in all cases be paid. (12) Overtime and night shift and Sunday and holiday allowances shall be paid to women employed on piece-work or premium bonus system on the same conditions as now prevail in the case of men in the district in question for time work. (13) Piece-work prices and premium bonus time allowances, after they have been established shall not be altered unless the means or method of manufacture are changed. (14) All wages and balances shall be paid to women through the Office. (15) Any questions which arise as to the interpretation of these recommendations shall be determined by the Minister of Munitions. October. 1915. f)I APPENDIX No. 3. CIRCULAR L. 3. MINISTRY OF MUNITIONS MUNITIONS LABOUR SUPPLY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS relating to the Employment and Re- muneration of Semi-skiUed and Unskilled Men on Munition work of a class which prior to the War was customarily undertaken by Skilled Labour. (Note : — These Recommendations are strictly confined to the war period and are subject to the observance of Schedule II of the Munitions of War Act, reprinted in the Appendix*). GENERAL (1) Operations on which skilled men are at present employed, but which by reason of their character can be performed by semi-skilled labour, may be done by such labour during the period of the war. (2) Where semi-skilled or unskilled male labour is employed on work identical with that customarily undertaken by skUled labour, the time-rates and piece-prices and premium bonus times shaU be the same as customarily obtain for the operations when performed by skilled labour. (3) Where skilled men are at present employed they shall not be displaced by less-skiUed labour unless other skilled employment is offered to them there or elsewhere. (4) Piece-work prices and premium bonus time allowances, after they have been established, shall not be altered unless the means or method of manufacture are changed. (5) Overtime, night shift, Sunday and holiday allowances shall be paid to such machinemen on the same basis as skilled men. * Reproduced under paragraph 13 of this Report. 62 Time ratings for the Manufacture of complete shell and fuses AND cartridge CASES, WHERE NOT HITHERTO CUSTOMARY. (6) Where the manufacture of this class of munitions was not customarily undertaken by the estabUshment prior to the war, the following time ratings shall apply : — {a) Semi-skilled and unskilled men of 21 years of age and over, when engaged as machinemen on the above manufacture, shall be paid a time rate of 10s. per week lower than the_ time rate for turners, including war bonuses, engaged in the engineer- ing trade of the district, but in no case shall the rate paid to such men be less than 28s. per week of the normal district hours. This rate also includes all war bonuses already granted. {b) Where a semi-skilled or unskilled man of 21 years of age and over has had no experience previously of the operation he is called upon to perform, his starting rate shall be 26s. per week, which shall be paid during his period of training, but such period shaU not exceed two months from the date at which he commenced work as a machineman. (c) The time-rates payable to setters-up shall be not less than as follows : — Setting up of fuse-making machines, 10s. per week over the current district time rate for turners. Setting-up of shell-making machines, 5s. per week over the current district time rate for turners. These extras are in addition to any war bonuses which have been granted. INTERPRETATION. (7) Any question which arises as to the interpretation of these Recommendations shall be determined by the Minister of Munitions. October, 1915. b3 APPENDIX No. 4. COPY OF AN AGREED NOTICE AUTHORISING A CON- VENER OF SHOP STEWARDS TO MAKE VISITS TO ANY DEPARTMENT WHERE A COMPLAINT FROM THE WORK- PEOPLE REQUIRES HIS ATTENTION. BARR 81 STROUD LIMITED. REGULATIONS FOR LEAVE GRANTED TO SHOP STEWARDS TO DEAL WITH COMPLAINTS. (1) If any employee has a relevant complaint to make about his work sufficiently important to bring before a Shop Steward, he should tell his Foreman that he desires to speak to the Shop Steward about an important matter, but he must communicate only with the Shop Steward of his own Department. (2) If the Department Shop Steward thinks the complaint requires attention he will be careful to notify the Foreman of his Department and wiU then, by arrangement with the Foreman, either send for or fetch the Convener of Shop Stewards, who in his turn will teU his own Foreman that he is called to another Department on Shop Steward business. (3) If the Convener of Shop Stewards, after consultation with the Department Shop Steward and the complainer, thinks the complaint requires further attention, he wUl call a meeting of Shop Stewards to consider the matter. (4) If the meeting of Shop Stewards thinks the complaint requires still further consideration, the Convener wiU bring it before a meeting of the Industrial Committee or convene an emergency meeting of the Industrial Committee in order to lay the complaint before the Firm. (5) The Fotemen wUl be instructed by the Firm that they are to grant the facilities referred to above ; but if they think that these facilities are being taken advantage of, they wiU be instructed to inform the Firm, so that the representatives of the Firm may draw the attention of the Industrial Committee to it. Barr and Stroud, Limited. Harold D. Jackson, Director. March. 1916.