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Monthly Circular.
No. 13.	May.	1916.
TO THE MEMBERS.

Gentlemen,

Forward Movement.

The recent circular, issued on behalf of the above Movement, leaves one wondering if the internal machinery of the Durham Miners' Association had become so rotten to the core as to only continue to exist by virtue of the support it received from outside Movements, of the Forward Movement character.

To what depths of puerility has the bulk of democracy descended when, with all the power in its own hands to make a constitution that could meet any and every phase of progress, it lacks the essential will or brains to do so, and has to be beholden to a self chosen few, who are perfectly willing to do it for them, always providing they are allowed to proclaim it from the house-tops, and at such times as either an Executive Committee, or some other election, is looming on the horizon.

One did look for some sort of defence being set up to the impeachment contained in my notes; but, unless a large measure of personality constitutes an answer, or a defence, then I can, with every confidence, claim that there is no real attempt to defend their continued existence, except for the purposes I endeavoured to set out.

Dare we assume that their puny attempt at justification is due to a recognition of the fact that, from the point of view of honour and consistency, their position was indefensible? If this be so, then we are entitled to hail with thankfulness their possession of a spark of that true spirit of comradeship and mutual help underlying the spirit and solidity of Trades Unionism, which, with careful cultivation and abasement of self; may ultimately transform them into ideal Trades Unionists.

Whether purposely or otherwise is immaterial, but the fact remains, that they have carefully ignored that I did not complain of the subject matter of their circular, but was up against the necessity for the Movement, and the functions which it generally exercised; and I even went so far as to say that, if they were content to confine themselves to matters of a general character, then no strong exception could be taken to their existence, even though its tendency was in the direction of belittling the Society. I frankly admitted that their sin on that occasion was not a venal one, and carefully gave them an opportunity to disclaim any future desire on their part to criticise any purely domestic policy of the Association itself; except through a constitutional channel ; and if the opportunity of putting forward their militant or any other ideas was not provided by our Constitution, then let them use all the effort they legitimately could to so adapt the Constitution as to meet their desires ; but, until that time arrived, an ordinary Trade Union sense of loyalty and fair play should be sufficient to keep them from going outside their organisation, to cast reflection upon the wisdom of the majority, to whose desires all rules and regulations must conform.

It will be noted, however, that they studiously refrain from saddling themselves with any such restrictive obligation ; and honour and fair play had to rest content with their tacitly admitted guilt of the past, without any undertaking on their part to go and sin no more.

I deliberately avoided going into the personal side of this Movement, and confined myself to its objects and functions; and the fact that they have not challenged my premise is abundant justification. They, however, have not been content to take the same line, but have not only endeavoured to catalogue my sins of omission, but have pointed out my lack of wisdom.

Even my worst enemies will not deny that I have never attempted to gloss over my many short-comings, and no one is more cognizant of his sins of omission than I am ; nor can it be stated, that I have aped wisdom. I am quite content to allow the leaders of the Forward Movement, to assume possession of this virtue; but when indulging in this purely personal gibe, and enumerating my sins of omission, it cannot have occurred to them that there is a divine saying, the wisdom of which I do not think even their egotism will allow them to challenge, to the effect that "He that is without sin let him cast the first stone." If they had remembered this, then I have the temerity to think that even they would admit the possession of some sins of omission, which ought to have kept them silent.

Never was there a finer opportunity vouchsafed to any man to enter into personalities than has been afforded me by the present situation ; but to enter into details of this character would reveal such a sordid state of affairs as could not fail to reflect discredit upon the Society, and reveal the weaknesses of democracy; and as my sole desire, in tackling the Movement, was the welfare of the Society, and to see that democracy should be allowed to work out its destiny on lines untrammelled by anything like petty subterfuge, it is an opportunity that one has no desire to embrace.

During my career as a Trades Union leader, I have never been afraid (probably in an imperfect way due largely to the lack of an early education) to condemn the many malpractices of either owners, or, what I understood to be, defects in our National System; but I have never accepted the dictum: that it was the duty of a Trades Union leader to ceaselessly pour out the vials of his wrath upon those who happen, by some fortuitous circumstance, to be in a position to take advantage of such National System.

To endeavour to purge our own organisation of any malpractices is nothing short of a crime; and a Trades Union leader is guilty of a grave dereliction of duty, if he attempts to free his own Society from any of the evils he is paid to condemn in others only. For him the word consistency is not supposed to exist, his one and only task being to go on picking the beam out of the eyes of those outside the organisation, and ignoring the mote of those inside.

What an elevating conception of the duties of a wise Trade Union leader; what a moral object lesson to teach the rising generation!! To the leader the path of moral rectitude must stand forbidden, and yet he has to act as adviser in the administration of his Society's affairs. Can that Society hope to prosper, as a reforming influence, which is not allowed to set its own house in order? All history teaches the contrary; and the further any nation, society or organisation, gets away from moral influences, the more they are planting the seeds of dissolution and degeneracy, ending only in a harvest of ruin ; and yet, for seeking to lift our Association to a higher plane of consistency and reformation, one stands condemned, though the consciousness of having done one's duty, even though it involved kicking against the pricks, is, after all, a most sustaining consolation.

Militancy is an indispensible attribute to any organisation, but even it can be conducted along constitutional lines. Unconstitutional militancy, however, premeditated against, the highest form of democratic control, such as exists in our Organisation, is not the road to true and lasting reform. It frequently leads to revolution that spells disaster; and yet, in the opinion of the leaders of the Forward Movement, no wise Trades Union leader should challenge it. No, his the task to conceive and construct; theirs, from the safe position of irresponsibility, to criticise and destroy.

Yet many of these leaders have, from time to time, been elected to act in an administrative capacity for the Society, and no doubt will again, if the Movement has not lost one of its admitted primary purposes; and how often has it happened, when so acting for their Society (not the Forward one), that they have had to attend at collieries which have been laid idle, for the purpose of exhorting the rank and file to be true to constitutional methods. Can they consistently continue to do so in the future, or will they concede the right of the rank and file to use the spirit of lawlessness and unconstitutional methods that they claim for themselves? Time alone can reveal the answer.

One could go on almost indefinitely on this subject, but really it has not been an edifying task, and was only undertaken by a stern sense of duty, and out of a keen regard for fair play, and a desire to see that the many thousands of capable men, who are doing noble work for Trades Unionism, should not have those equal opportunities, that are a fundamental principle of democracy, largely restricted, because they are not prepared to sacrifice their respect for that Constitutionalism without which no Society can exist, and resort to methods, the real aim and object of which are advertisement.

However, if the members are content to not only tolerate, but support this Movement, then the matter is in their hands. Rightly or wrongly I have done, at much pain and many misgivings what I conceived to be my duty in the interests of an organisation, whose power and prestige I am proud of, and shall always jealously guard, even though it brings me into conflict with many whom I have counted as personal friends.

S. Armes.

Death has again been busy in our ranks, and it is with feelings of regret and deep sense of loss that one has to chronicle the death of Mr. Samuel Armes, of Trimdon Grange, which occurred in May.

For over thirty years he was to be found in the firing line on behalf of Trades Unionism, forming one of a band of long tried and trusted adherents to the cause, whose services in a local official capacity have laid and solidified the foundations of our Society, and are largely responsible for its present power and influence. Their numbers are gradually decreasing, and his death adds to the ever growing toll. Men like Sam Armes form the backbone of our Society; and their work on its behalf is difficult to estimate, and was never adequately remunerated.

For the welfare of his fellow workmen he was ever a doughty fighter, giving and taking hard knocks, as part of the game ; and he had need to be, for, in the ranks of Capitalism, few men had a more formidable opponent than he, and the long period for which he enjoyed the confidence of the workmen is an eloquent tribute, not only to the efficiency of his advocacy, but was a lasting testimony to an unswerving honesty of purpose.

Practically the whole of his life was devoted to the task of bettering the social and material condition of the people amongst whom he lived ; and if the younger men, on whom the task will devolve, but emulate his example of long and unselfish service for his fellowmen, then, like him, when their call comes, they will feel that life has not been wasted.

Aged Mine-Workers' Homes Association.

The Secretary of this Association has drawn my attention to the loss that the movement has sustained owing to the death of Mr. James Kirtley, of Cleadon Park, Sunderland.

The deceased gentleman (and I use the word gentleman in its fullest sense) had the misfortune to belong to the ranks of capital, and to bear tribute to his many manly and Christian qualities, is laying oneself open to the captions criticism of many of our members; yet, in my lack of wisdom, I shall still continue to acclaim goodness, from whatever source it springs.

To those who have lived on the Tyne or Wear side for some time, it is common knowledge that every object of a healthy and moral character found in him a most ready and generous financial supporter, and always without that ostentatious display. which always tends to lessen the spiritual value of the gift.

To him, the possession of wealth provided a fount from which his goodness flowed; and by his death the aged workmen of the district have lost a benefactor, whose human sympathy in the welfare and comfort of their declining years always took a practical form.

As one of the chief directors of the Harton Coal Company, there is no doubt but that he was largely instrumental in the generous gift of £4,000 towards the erection of the Aged Mine Workers' Homes in the district ; and he made himself personally responsible for the planting of shrubs, etc., with a view to enhancing the pleasing exterior of the Homes, thus further conducing to the comfort and serenity of mind, which is so desirable a concomitant to the peaceful retirement of those who, by long years of labour, have more than earned the right to spend the time remaining to them under conditions as free from care and anxiety as possible.

We are living in times when we can ill afford to lose any helper of the Movement, and no one is feeling the pinch of circumstances more than institutions of a character like the Aged Mine Workers' Homes Association.

With the Government taking up the ignoble attitude of doing nothing to supplement the somewhat miserable pittance of the aged people, their lot is not an enviable one; and until the time arrives, when more adequate State Provision is made for them, the loss of voluntary supporters like the late Mr. Kirtley is a most serious one, and can only be met by greater effort on the part of those who are left behind. Let us hope that many others, whom good fortune has provided with the wherewithal to do as he did, may be inspired to emulate the noble example he provided.

I am further desired by the General Secretary to point out that the Committee have completed arrangements by which the Association are now members of the Newcastle Co-operative Society, their membership number being 35,541.

Many members of our Association, when on a visit to Newcastle, may make a practice of getting their meals at the Co-operative Cafe, Darn Crook, Newcastle; and it would be doing some service to the Aged Mine Workers' Movement if they gave instructions that the dividend accruing from the amount of their purchases be set down to the credit of the Aged Mine Workers' Association, quoting No. 35,541.

Similar negotiations are in progress with the Co-operative Cafe, Green Street, Sunderland. They are not yet complete, but when everything is definitely fixed up, the General Secretary will issue full details.

It may appear rather an insignificant matter, but stress of circumstances make it an imperative necessity to tap every source of revenue available; and I am certain that many of our members will only be too delighted to embrace this further opportunity of advancing a worthy object.

Our Members' part in the War.

The hazardous nature of a miner's occupation is an accepted truism. Not only is he called upon to daily risk his life and limb, but, from time to time, the mining industry has had to face those appalling holocausts, resulting from explosions, that have been all too frequent in the past. We are proud of the fact that, when such occasions have risen, they have always served to indicate that, whatever shortcomings may be attributed to him, lack of courage is not one of them.

In the interest of saving life, there has never been any dearth of volunteers, who were prepared to run the risk of almost certain death ; and this evidence of sublime courage has many times been exemplified on land and sea, during the course of the present terrible struggle. Many of our own members are worthily upholding the traditions of their industrial life, and many of them have been the recipients of official recognition of their self-sacrificing courage.

During the course of this great conflict, thousands of heroic deeds have been and are daily being performed, which never come to our knowledge, owing to having escaped the observation of those in charge, and in face of the many examples, it may be somewhat invidious to quote a single case ; hut my attention has been drawn to the heroic conduct of a member of ours, viz., F. Gibson, of Hutton Henry.

One of my reasons for commenting upon this case is because those who follow a seafaring occupation provide a parallel to the miner from the point of view of danger encountered in the direct pursuit of their calling; and a second reason is that, so far as I can ascertain, he is the first seaman in the County of Durham to be invested with a medal in recognition of his courageous conduct.

The details of the deed which secured for F. Gibson, who in time of peace worked on the engine plane at Wingate, have already been published in the "Durham Chronicle;" and it is sufficient to say that he accomplished a feat that was regarded as almost impossible, with a view to the saving of human life, and that the great risk he so fearlessly undertook was not in vain.

Numerous other cases could be cited, which conclusively prove that the many thousands of our members, who answered the Country's call, are acquitting themselves in a manner beyond praise, and quite in keeping with that reputation for courage and hardy endurance that the dangers of their every day calling have, in the years gone by, given them every opportunity of establishing.

Deeds such as that of F. Gibson (and they could be multiplied many times over) add to the prestige and influence of the Durham Miners' Association, and when the boon of peace is once more prevailing, they have earned, and should go a long way in bringing, brighter and better conditions to the ranks of labour, which moral equity has, so far, failed to obtain for them, but which they have now purchased and paid for, as a national right.

---

Mr. House reports the decisions of the Arbitration Committee Meeting held on June 5th, as follows :—

Fatal Cases.

Fatal Cases

Lodge	Name	Age	Occupation
Ushaw Moor	Mark, Henderson	18	Hand Putter
Hebburn	Albert, Scott	14	Driver

There were other 10 requests and re-allocations arising out of fatal cases.

Non-fatal Cases.

Non-fatal Cases

Lodge	Name	Age	Occupation
Swalwell	J., Auton		Hewer
Newfield	John, Bewley	20
Byer Moor	James, Brown	17	Spare Putter
Horden	Harold, Cooper	14	Token Lad
Chilton	Bartholomew, Dodds	36	Hewer
Horden	Broderick, Donkin	53	Pumpman
Seaham	Ernest, Fletcher		Driver
Beamish, Air Pit	Peter, Gaffney	14	Driver
Blaydon Burn, Bessie Pit	J. R., Graham		Driver
Wheatley Hill	J. W., Kent	18	Pony Putter
Ushaw Moor	Henry, Kipling	16	Driver
Ryhope	Richard, Kirtley	47	Hewer
Seaham	Joseph, Marwood	60	Windwayman
Usworth	John, McGuire	14	Screener
Lintz	Edward, McKenna
Hetton	Robert, Potts	16
Ravensworth Shop Pit (Allerdene)	J. R., Redshaw	17	Driver
Wingate	Robert, Routledge	51	Hewer
Stargate	Charles, Varah	26	Hewer
East Pontop	Samuel, Woods		Stoneman

Durham, May 1916. T. H. Cann.

 

Source:

NEEMARC - Ref: NUMDA/1/6/41, D.M.A. Minutes, Circulars etc. for 1916 (one volume: covers Jan-Jun)