NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 803, 28 April 1910, Page 6

NOTES OF THE DAY.

We print to-day the reply of Mr. Pimm, the sbcrotai'y of tho New Zealand Employers' Federation, to the observations of Mr. Carey, the President p£ tho local Trades and Labour Council, upon tho decision of fifteen trades unions' to cancel shoir registration under tho Arbitration Act. Mb. Carey, whose statement wc printed on Tuesday, told a Dominion representative that the principal reason for this action by tho unions "is that in many instances the■ unions, after formation and application to the Arbitration' Court for an award, have obtained one which, instead of improving their oonditionts of work, hae ,dona

quite the reverse." Taking the fifteen unions separately, Mb. Pryor showed that this consideration could not have applied in the case of any one of them. At the same time Mr. Caeey's statement is worth the notice of all those interested in the working of the Arbitration Act. Nothing could be more frank than his statement that "if the Arbitration Court cannot .continue to increase the rates of pay already prescribed, then, obviously, the unions will begin to think it is no use troubling any further about the Court." In the_ face of this proclamation of the attitude of organised labour, it is impossible for anybody any longer to say that Labour requires nothing but justice. What it wants, obviously, is a Court that will grant an increase in wages every time it is asked to do so. Its attitude is exactly that of the imaginary worker who exclaimed "Arbitration ? Call that arbitration? Why, they've decided against us!" That this position would arise was foretold many years ago, but those optimistic Radicals who believe that the laws of human nature can be- repealed, in this country at least, by Act of Parliament, scouted all such warnings as imaginative' nonsense. In due : ccurse they-will realise that they are just as deeply in error to-day when they believe that any better fate can await a system of pseudo--conciliation based upon an ultimate coercion.

An interesting struggle, which is not without its lessons for New Zealand, is proceeding in Manitoba between the Government and the Grain-growers' Association. The dispute has its origin in a general feeling throughout Manitoba that the wheat elevators along tne railway lines should be brought under some system of public ownership. The Government has brought in a Bill, for the nationalisation of the elevators through expropriation and compensation. Against this measure of State Socialism the Graingrowers' Association is fighting with a counter proposal which a little reflection will show to be based on much the same ■_ principle 1 as the movement in this country for the placing of the railways under a system of non-political control. Government control of-the grain trade, the Association ufges, and, as we in Now Zealand know, urges with' good reason, will mean "the application of the spoils system"': "Not the interest of the community, nor even the prosperity. of the industry, but party considerations and the satisfaction of certain clamorous groups and'factions would be the determining factor in the conduct of . a Go-' vernment Grain Department." What t.he Association proposes is'the formation of a public trust independent of public control, but with a right to, use the credit of the province. :Its directors would be chosen by the Government,_ but from .the nominees of the Association. These directors would hold office permanently, or rather on good behaviour. "In no, possible way," it is urged, "would the politicians of Winnipeg'or the interests that are -said to dominate the Legislature bo able to exercise :a v ny influenoe upon the administration of the Trust." Tht> Associations' movement deserves to succeed. If the people of Manitoba were acquainted .with the_ working of State Socialism, in this country, they would give. short shrift, to the proposal of their Government.

Underlying the problem of' the "workers' cars," which formed, the subject of some discussion.: by the Karori' Borough Council on Tuesday night there is a question of much interest' and no little ance. The' discussion arose out of. tho complaint of a lady that, she had been ordered off a workers' car. although that ca,r was practically empty. Tho Mayor' of Karori, who, if lie had his way, would-"abolish workers';, cars, " placed his finger on the spot'when he added that personally ne did not know . what constituted a "worker." It has never been I clearly stated' who should be entitled to travel on these special cars, and this, for the good reason that there exist no 1 means whereby the conductor can say who is and. who is not a worker from the tramways point of view. The fact that everybody uses these cars is the natural demonstration of the . absurdity of attempting to discriminate in the matter. Everyone, who is not a loafer is a worker. ' Sib Joseph Waed has as good a claim to be considered a worker as any day labourer. Whether he shall travel on a workers' car, or whether, so travelling, he 'shall give up his seat to a toil-stained artisan, is a question which >he alone has any authority to determine. 'Whether there ought to be special low-fare cars at all is a question not easy to decide, but if they are provided they should be open to everybody, regardless of sex, income, or costume. The legend "For workers only" should be regarded as an offensive thing :in a community in which there are really no loafers at all. The institution of theso special services originated, no doubt, in the idea that labourers should be granted concessions on their journeys to and from work, apd not in the idea that these only are the true ''workers." Wrong as it is that the city's tramways system should be .specially framed to' 1 confer a privilege on a class, it is far more wrong that the city, . by setting aside these cars "For workers only" should seem to endorse the idea that one does' not work who works not with his hands. A great many social and political follies are largely due to the successful use of the pe.litio principii involved in the narrowing of the meaning of the word "worker."