▁coal ▁strike , ▁he ▁rose ▁to ▁state ▁branch ▁secretary ▁for ▁the ▁union ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 . ▁His ▁wife ▁Margaret ▁died ▁of ▁t uber cul osis ▁on ▁ 6 ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁and ▁their ▁three ▁daughters ▁were ▁sent ▁to ▁live ▁with ▁the ▁social ist ▁journalist ▁Robert ▁Ross . ▁ ▁Also ▁living ▁with ▁the ▁Ross es ▁was ▁Ad ela ▁P ank h urst , ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁f amed ▁British ▁suff ra get te ▁Em m eline ▁P ank h urst ▁and ▁her ▁husband ▁ ▁Richard ▁P ank h urst . ▁They ▁married ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁September ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁in ▁Melbourne . ▁They ▁returned ▁to ▁Sydney ▁after ▁the ▁war , ▁where ▁Wal sh , ▁as ▁general ▁secretary ▁of ▁the ▁union , ▁organ ised ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁strike ▁and ▁served ▁three ▁months ▁in ▁ga ol . ▁Both ▁Wal sh es ▁were ▁foundation ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party , ▁but ▁soon ▁fell ▁out ▁with ▁the ▁organisation . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁Tom ▁Wal sh ▁became ▁federal ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Se amen ' s ▁Union , ▁extract ing ▁improved ▁working ▁conditions ▁on ▁Australian ▁vessels ▁through ▁a ▁t actic ▁of ▁delay ing ▁ship ' s ▁sail ings ▁until ▁the ▁union ' s ▁dem ands ▁were ▁met . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁the ▁Bruce ▁Government ▁der eg ister ed ▁the ▁union ▁and ▁charged ▁Wal sh ▁with ▁inc itement , ▁with ▁the ▁ult imate ▁goal ▁of ▁Wal sh ' s ▁deport ation .