Australian History, 1950.
Source: "Reason in Revolt",
Source documents of Australian Radicalism.
First Published: in Labor College Review, February, 1950.
Transcription/HTML: by Kevin Goins.
Public Domain: Marxists Internet Archive (2007). You may freely copy, distribute, display and perform this work; as well as make derivative and commercial works. Please credit
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College Classes are different. They are not memory tests. They are friendly gatherings—just like discussions at home or on the job. You meet workers from other industries and exchange experiences. You listen or talk, as you wish—No Compulsion—No school rules. Forty-hour week means more free time—Spend a little of it at the Labor College. Come and bring a workmate.
Lectures by leading union officers and others.
Beginning on April 5 and on every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month union officers and others will give lectures on subjects in which they have specialised.
These lectures will be of special value to union officers, union executive members and all those who wish to become active members of unions.
The lectures will begin with a lecture by Mr. R. R. Broadby, secretary of the ACTU, and he will speak on the History of the ACTU on APril 5, at 8pm, Room 42, Trades Hall.
We are unable to give the order in which other lectures will take place as officers may be in other States on some of the dates. Your union office will be advised a fortnight before the lecture and a notice will also be displayed on the Trades Hall board.
Federal Arbitration Procedure—
J. Horan, Federal secretary Transport Workers' Union.
Wages Boards—Their History and Function—
M. Jordan, assistant secretary THC.
Workers' Compensation for Injury—
J Wilkinson, THC representative on Workers' Compensation Board.
Bonus Payments Under Union Control—
U. Innes, organsier, Electrical Trades Union.
Figures are not dull, as will be shown by Dr. R. D. Lynch, when he discusses balance sheets, municipal accounts, and commercial trading accounts.
R. D. Lynch, Chartered Accountant.
Incentives and Why We Oppose Them—
G. Hayes, secretary Boot Trade Union.
Review of the Basic Wage Case—
T. C. Winter, advocate for the ACTU.
Law Relating to Union Rules and Meetings—
A. T. Brodney, legal adviser to many unions.
Other subjects will be announced during the year.
Fortnightly: Second and Fourth Wednesdays of each month. 8pm. Beginning June 14.
Students must qualify for this class by attending one other class. Ex-students from previous years may be enrolled. This is to ensure that all students will be able to undertake practical work from the beginning of the class. Many are anxious to be effective speakers, but the first essential is a knowledge of your subject matter. This can be obtained in other College classes.
Mr. Brennan is exceptionally gifted in the art of making all students feel at their ease in addressing the class, and even if you have had previous difficulty in addressing meetings, you will find that this difficuolty is soon overcome, provided that you are familiar with your subject.
You will recieve points on platform speaking, debates, taking part in union and ALP meetings, as well as guidance in English and pronunciation.
A series of about thirty weekly discussion classes to assist unionists to think for themselves on economics.
Beginning on Monday, March 27, at 8 p.m.
A. 1. Economic Life as part of Man's Social Life.
2. The aspects of social life.
3. The significance of economic activity.
B. 1. The crisis in capitalism.
2. Explanations and solutions.
3. The economics of the crisis.
C. 1. A sketch of English and Australian industiral history.
2. Australian economy today.
3. Economic forces and tendencies.
D. 1. Economics and industrial relations.
2. Economics and governmental action.
3. The worker and his future.
Weekly. Tuesdays, 8pm. Beginning March 28.
This class is essentially for beginners. It traces, in outline, the history of the Labor Movement from the period of the industrial revolution to the present day. Students will gain a theoretical knowledge and ability to analyse events that will enable them to combat the spurious theories that today hamper Labor in its advance to the socialist objective.
The subjects include:—
(1) Important events of the past and thier bearing on modern political struggles:—
(a) Industrial revolution; (b) the great French revolution; (c) stormy struggles of 1848; (d) Paris Commune.
(2) Development of socialist theory:—
(a) Utopian Socialists; (b) Reformism; (c) Socialism of Marx ands Engels; (d) conflicting theories in the First International.
(3) History and theoretical controversies of Russian revolution:—
(a) History of Bolsheviks; (b) 1917 revolution; (c) formation of Third International; (d) theory of permanent revolution and socialism in a single country; (e) conflicting therories on Russia.
(4) Australian Labor Movement and its part in world events:—
(a) History of the ALP; (b) ALP in Federal politics; (c) Labor v. Communists.
All classes are held at the Trades Hall, Room 42. Upstairs on your left from Lygon Street entrance.
Unionists—these are your classes. Unions and Trades Hall Council support them. You are invited to attend them. There are no fees.