THE TRADE UNIONS AND POLITICAL WORK.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 734, 5 February 1910, Page 13

THE TRADE UNIONS AND POLITICAL WORK.

\ Sir,—ltl may ■ seem' incredible :to '■■ you and; others,: but. I -believe ■ it' is really .a fact.that MrJ D.- Mlaren,;M.P., is'-doing' organisation,:' work at ; ; lis -own'. eipense, the trade-unions; not 'oohtributing anything > towards the: cost. : And yet,-: these -men are. very iclamorous for labour ,reipresentation! .The unions .make a great mistake- if ;tbey.think they', are .going to.: get.,-any'Teforms: without 1 self-saorifioe and~:hard...work.; _ Quite -jfiSOOO ! a:year is :needed:' for organisation and propaganda -work-if-;it lis to- be, properly-and' effeo:tively {done.-;V:This is .-a: comparatively -small'Buni{for:the'.trade';unions to raise. They, can; raise, ten times as much for gamblin'g-ipurpofies.'^^They- spend a:great aeal";iiibre:- oh; a' futile" strike;' but {when; -it-comes -, to : finding {the.:necessary ;money. :for.:labour,' propaganda; ;{they ; : subscribe; either-,'notiing: or- next -.to nothing.: '1: ■say ;thisis'as'di6graceful\as:it is foolish." Eyery.-'man ought '.to;;'giye':at {least 6d.{ :per". 'wieek - -for • political L work,;,'and.: it. iou'ght to,be the first charge on his lugs,"because it all - depends- on - the poli-: ;tical : ' operations 'wlether ' there' is ' any : ;work fof.-him.'tb' doi :; We have -recently seen '.thousands.' of::men',idle who would have' 'been {well'and Tegnlarly,' employed if tho":political' operationsi-'had'.been- in' {the-' right;: direction, -and "-if' Labour .{bad' been directly. and sufficiently represented in ,'iParliam'ent. -/'A'.few -'months hence there may be. again as much or more unemployment.; NotV only ' should ■' the trade ■unions '. meet■;and•■: determine _'. upon- d weekly.'levy,jbht-'-'all,;'whether unionists or{{not; -who.'join the new organisation,; the.; Eadieal i and .-Labour: League, • or i theDemocratic'. League—l know -not wnicn iß'to':be :the:.name.of !the:new-:party— should: be.;.required .to{contribute lsJ per quarter as-a-minimum subseription.{:Tm-. less ,'this;;.isi:done there -will be nb or'ganisatioh- of; any; account, - andv Labour will•":remain! entirely>at the ' mercy of the.'monopolists and their- bangers-oni There ought to be at least four, organ;isers, out—two m each island—busy 'at work every: day enrolling members of the new. party .—I am, eto.;; ■- '■■■ t. : ; {■{''-'' E. ; \T. : -EViNS.-v r : Napier,"'January : 10. V:;.-:;: /'•■■;: