THE FEDERATION AND AGREEMENTS.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14843, 8 December 1913, Page 6

THE FEDERATION AND AGREEMENTS.

A cable message which we printed on Saturday makes it evident that Mr W. M. Hughes either does not know, or wilfully ignores, those facts concerning the Federation of Labour which are known to everyone in this country who pays any attention to what goes on about him. The New Zealand delegates, says Mr Hughes, "deny the "statement that the Federation of " Labour ( does not regard industrial "agreements is binding," and "have " supplied documentary evidence in sup"port of their statements." Documentary evidence of the kind referred to does not exist; for we suppose that it will be agreed that a written etatement by a delegate that the Federation docs not, and never has, advocated J through its leaders tho right of organised labour to repudiate its agreen.ents, is not evidence at all. All the evidence is against tho Federation. It is true, no doubt, that the Federation does not proclaim in its constitution in so many words that agreements are not binding, but it declares that its object is "to organise systematically " and scientifically upon an industrial "union basis in order to assist tho ' overthrow of the capitalist system." These words are vague, but they admit of only two possible interpretations: either that the Federation will make no agreement with employers, or that it will break any agreement co made. But the Federation has fortunately made speculation upon the point quite unnecessary. Not only did the present strike originate in a breach of agreement ; the Federation has for weeks been calling on onions all over the country to break their contracts and to break the law. By a singularly ironical chance, the difficult task of defending the Federation has fallen to the

!ot of 3lr P. 11.. Hickcy, to whom tto owo that authoritative statement of policy which vre havo frequently quoted, and which we may quote onco raoro: — "Of late there has lx?en much talk of 'agreements,' 'industrial peace,' 'loyally ro omp'. yers,' and such-liko Ehrascs. Don'c listen to them! Don't elicve them! There can be no industrial peace in New Zealand while the capitalist system lasts. There can ho no 'loyalty , betwivm -workers and employer*. Recognise that any agreement enivred into i-s not binding tinon you for a single instant. 2\o, not if it tvero signed by a thousand officials and ratified by a dozen courts. Ti:o agreement B not sound. Only a fool would regard it as such. The moment an opportunity occurs*to better your condition, brc.ik up your agreement. Brr.-ik it whenever it ivill vny you to do so. If nece,<=s.iry, let us toss every agreement to hell!"

Mr Hiokey, to do him justice, has not turned completely -round. He thinks "the best reply" to tho charge rr-ade .against the Federation is that the Federation has always "'used its " influence" to settle disputes, and has " in every instance" been successful. That would be no reply at all, even if it wero true. But it is not true, and Mr Hickey evidently realises its inadequacy as a "reply," for ho hastens to cay that "quibbling will servo no good " purpose," and concludes by declaring that tho Federation has repeatedly given its "assurance" that if tho strike is submitted to arbitration, it will " loyally abido by tho decision." These assurances are vain. . The striko would have been settled long ago but for tho unhappy fact, which everybody must wish wero otherwise, that the Federation cannot bo trusted. Nobody, whatever his views on tho strike may be, doubts for a moment that if tho matter were referred to arbitration and an agreement signed, that agreement would bo broken "by the Federation ists without a qualm of conscience. The Federation does not even offer a guarantee of such a kind that the employers and tho community could feel reasonably sure that mere eelf-interest would male© the Federation keep its word. If tho strike does nothing else it should show the trade unionists of the Dominion how inimical to their interests are tbo doctrines of the Red Feds. Bad faith on the "part of tho watcrsiders caused the strike; bad faith on tho part of the Federation makes agreement impossible. Xo just cause can be promoted by bad faith, and the unions will never gain anything, but will lose much, so long as they place their interests in tho keeping of an organisation whose, principles are exactly those which Society had to crush out and proscribe Before it could hecome civilised and progressive.