08.06.1995

The munitions hold-up

From Workers’ Dreadnought, paper of the Workers’ Socialist Federation, June 5 1920

DOCKERS and railwaymen have united in their determination not to dispatch munitions for Poland; but, unless they refuse to dispatch munitions at all, at least some of the munitions ostensibly shipped to other countries will find their way to Poland - and if not to Poland, then to Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary or any other country where men can be found to bear arms against the Workers’ Soviet Republic.

On Sunday May 30 a shipload of war aeroplanes set sail from East India Docks for Egypt. Why should the dockers ship aeroplanes to Egypt?

... Even if these aeroplanes were not intended for the Black Sea, but for use against the Egyptians, why should dockers send them?

... The National Union of Railwaymen has referred the question of handling munitions for Ireland to the Triple Alliance. The TA will not act; these great executives, with their important officials, never take action on great issues ...

Dockers and railwaymen, do not wait for your executive or for the TA; take action on your own account, as the dockers and coalies did on the ‘Jolly George’ and the sailors on the government tugs!

Moreover, let it be resolved that neither munitions nor troops shall be shipped at all, that they shall not be shipped out of the country or moved about from place to place within the country. Remember Soviet Russia; but remember also the War Office plans for the blockade of Wales in the event of a miners’ strike.

The War Office has such plans in readiness to use against all sections of workers, at home as well as abroad.