AN APPEAL TO FACTS.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14838, 2 December 1913, Page 8

AN APPEAL TO FACTS.

TO THB EDITOR OF "THE PRESS." : Sir, —I trust you will allow mc space ! to mako an appeal to my fellow j workers at Lyttelton. In the first ! place, men, how does the strike stand to-day? You have been told by your leatiers that the ports are still tied up, and, to uso Mr __ckc>y's w.rds, "eveiytning is 0.X." Now, what do you [think about it? Does the fact that this week the Dorset, Northern, Rimutaka, Marere, Remuera, and Corinthic have been worked look as if Lyttelton were tied up? You have seen this going on with your own eyes. How does it compare with the statements of your leaders? The drivers' strike in Christchurch lasted about four days. The Council men went back to work the next day. The taxi-men wore allowed to go back when thero was no other option, and the new Drivers' Union is working full timo, carting tho goods you see being discharged at Port. Does that look like a successful strike, an example of solidarity? The strike has been badly managed, and it has been bluff and intimidation all through. Y'onr leaders have intimidated you in that you were not allowed the secret ballot. Why? Because they knew that there would be no strike, and they were not game to put you to the test. While on the subject of your loaders, now, what have they done for you? While you have been idle, drawing no wage, their salaries have been going on, expenses, too. I expect. . They nsed the general strike as a trump card, but apparently forgot that the joker, in tho shape of the New Zealand public, was in the pack. These men who so kindly came to Port to address yon, told you what a lot of fine fellows you were, advised yon to keep on striking. Did any of you manage to touch their pockets for a shilling or did any of them offer to forego a" month's salary for the Strike Fund? Can't you see, men, that they are only using you as a door-mat, in order.-that they can open the door to the House of Repre-C-rtatives with its

[ £300 per year? Mr Semple boasted jne would call a general strike and ; "paral. _c New Zea ana," which he did, | but at present lie's' got a pretty bad touch of paralysis himself. Wiiy do you allow your leaders to insult a man like the Hon. John Barr, one of the best friends Labour has ever had —a man who was contemporary with Richard John Seddon, and, in a lesser degree, helped with all his might the passing-of the Arbitration Act, which you now condemn? What has this Act done to you that you should decry it? It has given you decent hours, good wages, better homes and better conditions of life than you ever had before its passing. Ycu say it's no gocd because Hiram Hunter and Co. say so. For once they are right. It's no good to them. Its way 3of working are too peaceable. No doubt there are faults in it, but you have the remedy at the ballot-box, for you have the votes.

The last word in trumps is being dangled before your eyes, up the sleeve so to say; that is, the maritime* strike. Supposing this eventuates, what Kill happen? Simply a great many of us will be forced to be idle, and wo will man the ships and work cargo too. You can't expect we are going to starve. Anyhow, New Zealand is pretty well a self-contained country, and she could stand twelve months, any way. But where would you be at the end of twelve months? Just think over it.

Now, men, you. have still plenty of tim© to go back. For your own sake, for your families' sake, don't leave it till "it is too late. • Th© Wellington men are beginning to find out too late. Don't let such be your case. Don't worry about this much used word "scab." It's better to scab yourself than scab on your families by starving them. Just take a quiet and sober -view of the case; ask yourself how it is really going to end; it is yourselves who are concerned; act for yourselves, and,, in other words mind your own business, and in future keep these paid officials of yours in their proper place, that is, of a servant and not a mast.". —Yours, 6tC '' SPECTATOR.