THE STONEWALL.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14829, 21 November 1913, Page 8

THE STONEWALL.

The Opposition have done so many foolish things that perhaps they hare not thought of the consequences of their selection of the present time for; a determined attempt to paralyse the business of Parliament. The public may at times not be Ten,' Shrewd, but it is not so blind and foolish as the Opposition would appear to imagine. Even more than in the case of the earlier efforts at obstruction, the present stonewall will annoy a community which does not want its time and money to be wasted by a party anxious only to embarrass the Government in tho discharge of its duty and to prevent the passage of necessary legislatk>n. It is entirely idle to pretend that the Opposition are fighting for any principle. Had the Government not declared definitely that the repeal of the Second Ballot Act is only the first step in the reform of the electoral laws, there might have been some small excuse for protests by the Opposition, but even in that case there would have been no excuse for a deliberate attempt by tee minority to reduce Parliamentary Government to a nullity. Mr Massey, however, has plainly stated that the provieion of a substitute for tho simple majority system will be attended to next session. It is not a question of providing a substitute for the second ballot: one does not talk of providing a substitute for a cancer. Ono removes the cancer as quickly as possible. The Wellington ''Post," which at first was inclined to criticise the Government's action, has frankly recognised ilie difference that has been made by Mr Massey's statement: "He holds that the simple re- " peal is desired by tlie country. In "this we heartily agree with him; that "blot on the Statute Book cannot be "expunged too soon." The Opposition may count upon it that tho public is not in a mood to look with patience upon an indefensible campaign of obstruction at the present time. A strike outside Parliament is bad enough without an equally wanton holding up of tho country's business inside tho House.

The London newspapers of October 11th, to hand by yesterday's mail, report Mr Larkin, tho Irish Syndicalist leader, as uaving made a statement which is. of special interest here just now. Speaking at a London hall, he attacked the Labonr Party, and dealt severely with the officials of some of tho unions. "The officials of the Railwaymen's Union," he said, ''pleaded that there ■were agreemeuts a..d contracts. To hell with contracts."' Perhaps our "Liberal" friends here, who are supporting the Federation of Labour, will be interested to know what British Liberals think of Larkinism, as stated in the little passage we have quoted. The "Westminster Gazette" is the foremost Liberal organ in Ureat Britain, and is as sturdily Radical as any heart could desire —a hater of nearly everything that Mr Lloyd George does not approve. It said, in the course of its comments :—

"To hell with contracts! 7. Such is the policy of Larkinism, as explained by Mr Larkin himself tt a meeting in London yesterday. That is the watchword of the new Labour movement. Fortun-

ately Mr Larkin stands very much alone in his view, and we do not believe that his attitude is that of any considerable body of the organised working classes. Were it so the position taken up by tho Dublin employers would oe justified. There wonld be no means of a settlement between Labour and Capital except that of a fight to a finish, and a renewal of tho battle whenever either party felt strong enough to embark on a campaign.

For tho present, however, some of the "liberals" in this country are still dreaming that they can somehow gain by supporting the Federation of Labour.

In the speech referred to, by tho way. Mr Larkin, m his violent a.»ack on the honest section of trade-unionism, anticipated very curiously the attitude of the "Maoriland Worker" towards those members of the United Labour Party who have warned their unionist friends against the folly of joining tho strike. One eentence referring to Messrs Reardon, Carey, and Paul, is too libellous for quotation, but we may note that the "Worker" observes that "tho spy within the camp is the deadliest foe of all, and it ia in this light that organised Labour throughout tho Dominion will regard these men." In point of fact the Federation represents only a minority of the trade-nnioniste. It is not "organised Labour" for which the Federation speaks, but organised disorder and bad faith, as this strike has at least made clear.

The chaugo in the editorship of the "Maoriland Worker" has had the not unwelcome result of making the loading articles uncommonly amusing. In one, editorial expression is given to the "hope that the day is soon coming when intelligent trade-unionists will refuse to bo humbugged and deluded by their paid officials any more than by anybody else!" Comment would spoil the joke, but wo may say that ims is a hope of an unusual kind. ]te fulfilment, which will shortly come about, will bring more disappointment to the '•Worker" than its failure. In the very samo article, which is a desperate appeal to the railwaymen to join tho strike, -wo read that "the railway workers themselves placo an exaggerated importance upon their superannuation," and that there is "no valid reason" why the railwaymen should nofi go on strike. The railwaymen would, perhaps, be less inclined to resent this willingness of tho Federation leaders to shod overy drop of someone else's oiood for the cause if the Federation loaders were not so well fed and so well paid, whether there is a strike or not.

A good many people have boon wondering why the "Liberal" M.P.'s co suddenly abandoned their programme of raids upon the country. Everywhere they wont, their newspapers told us, the "flying squadrons" of the "Liberal" Party scored tremendous successes, and a few of the more simple-minded Oppositionists in the parts which were not visited were doubtless extremely pleased and surprised that their Party was stronger than it appeared to bo from their own knowledge of their own districts. The country was almost solid against the Government, so we were assured. Since then the strike has begun, and some of the "Liberals" are convinced —at any rate, they insist —that the country is more bitterly opposed to the Government than ever. This is, then, surely an excellent time for the "flying squadron" to appear, and to go into the country districts of all the provinces to complete tho conversion of the public to the "Liberal" side. Tho member for Christchurcn North and the member for Avon, say. could strike a strong blow for "Liberalism" by reminding the farmers, in their forcible way, of the necessity for joining the Party opposed to a Government which is conniving at the opening of the ports for trade. Perhaps however, they feel that the country districts can now do without assistance in making up their minds about tho Opposition.

Extraordinary precautions were taken to protect the meeting in Bedford at which Mr Lloyd George opened his "land campaign" last month. The Skating Rink was selected because it is naturally strongly fortified, being protected by water (the River Ouse) on ono side, by a high brick wall on another, and by iron railings on the two remaining sides. Stout bnrricatTe~F were in addition specially erected, which nobody might pass without a ticket, and tho tickets were issued only to known supporters of the Government, a few, however, being given to "the more respectable Unionists." Whcro tho Liberal applicant tor a seat was not well known, he had to be vouched for as a respectable supporter of the Chancellor. A strong body of "stewards," or "chuckers-out," was secured, and fifty additional police were drafted into the town. A special guard was posted at the brick wall, and policeboats guarded the river. If these precautions were to bo adopted by a Unionist, or in New Zealand by a Reform Minister, our Radical friends would know that it was an insulting violation of the liberty of tho public, and a provocative measure. In Mr Lloyd George's case, of course, that would not be oven suggested. As a matter of fact even his opponents did not suggest it, but declared that tho proo.i utions were necessary. It is an interesting fact that some of the Bedfordians thought the precautions implied that they could not bo trusted to behave themselves. Of course, they were wrong; the measures of protection were merely taken against people who had already demonstrated their disorderly character.

Among other accomplishments, Mr Larkin eeems to be "ji scholard in language." We have- referred to his '•To hell with contracts!" Within wie last few days he has said, "Damn you and your money!" "Damn your trade unionism!" and "Damn the Empire!" His opponents should rebuke him in tho words used by Sydney Smith about Lord Melbourne's 6imilar propensity: "Let us assume everybody and everything to be damned, and come to the point. ,.

Upon further reflection we hope'"""© Mayor will see tho advisableness or reconsidering his decision to preside at a "public meeting" on Saturday night. He pointed out to the deputation from the Strike Committee yesterday that he had to postpone calling a meeting under the terms of the City Council's resolution until a notice of motion rescinding that resolution had been dealt with. Surely this very proper decision equally debars him from calling a- meeting, and presiding over it, at the request of a quite irresponsible ontside body. The

deputation gave Mr Holland a» ur * ances. first, that the meeting will not be asked to consider any motion, but that which he may ■himself decide upon, and, second, that the speeches at the meeting will bo temperate and moderate. We presume these assurances were genuinely meant, but we have a"" seen that it is quite imposssible to place any trust in assurances given, even in good faith, by representatives of the strikers. The most solemn assurances have been airily broken within the last few days. Mr Holland is not required to call tho meeting for Saturriay if on further consideration he deems it undesirable to do so, an 3it is certainly the wish of all but the minority who favour the strike that it shall not be called.

On Tuesday we published a return giving a long list- of organisations to which permits had been given by tho City Council to hold meetings in Cathedral square and othw centres and thoroughfares of traffic. We venture to say that the City Council, in this matter, has been utterly regardless of tho feelings and comfort of the ordinary citizen, and ought not to have granted one-tenth of the applications of persons anxious to force their oratory on the public ear in the streets. At a tirno of unrest like tho present such gatherings may, from being simply a public nuisance, quickly become a public danger, and wo venture to suggest that all these permits, without exception, should be at once withdrawn, at any rate until the present trouble is over. Tho whole question might then be reconsidered—we hope with a good deal more care than has been devoted to it in the past. Jf it is necessary to swear in special constables to preserve tho peace of the city, it is certainly not- a time to allow crowds to collect in the street under the official authority of the City Council.

It will hardly be possible for New Zealand to join in the naval display at the Panama Exposition, but we hope tho Government jvill see T<.s way to accept the invitation to send representatives of our land forces to tho celebration. At the St. Louis Exposition no display made by Great Britain—not even the Jubilee presents of Queen Victoria—excited so much attention as the splendid specimens o" London policemen sent to guard those treasures. Already there is great interest felt in America regarding our system of universal training, and we feel cure that a small corps d'clito of our Territorials and Cadets would be warmly welcomed, and would do more than anything else to attract attention to tho Dominion. Of course, the selection should be strictly by merit—we should send the best-drilled and the finest setup of men and boys physically that we conld present. The competition, for the honour of being selected would in itself exercise a beneficial effect on the whole Defence Force. Tho great success which attended the despatch of New Zealand Cadets to Canada should encourage the Government to a still greater effort of the same kind in connexion with the Panama celebrations.