LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1357, 7 February 1912, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

ORGANISATION WANTED. Sir.—Tin' strike is over for the present, anil wi' have had its lesson, ll arose over a trivial matter—"want of lad" on the part ol one of the Iraimniy inspectors, Fuller. On (his trivial point the whole body (if Iriunuaymen struck, and the cars —I he people's means of transport—were luid by in the sheds. Not only this, but, the Carriers' I'nion,. the Federation of Labour, and even (save the mark) the IJiiotinakiM-s' Union, rushed to the support of the strikers, while conl-handlers rc-lu-ed to handle coal destined for the yards of the City Council. ■ I here observe that it is the duly of Ciuvernment lo keep our coal supplies open.) And who were the immediate and innocent sufferers by this piece of coercion but the majority of workers in this city and the general' public? On their part it is to be freely conceded lhat Tub Dominion- has materially assisted in bringing the strike to its speedy .settlement, and generally in enlightening citizens as to the actual progress and true position of aifairs.

in connection will; the strike itself, the now phrase (to Wellington) "Citizens' Committee" appeals very strongly to me, and with your permission I will sav why. \\hile our city councillors might "bo expected ami relied upon to successfully cope with (ne strike ot its own tramway employee.-, it could not bo expected and relicit upon to single-handedly successfully ci-pe willi the wider movement of an aliruiind and general union support given (i the strikers in order to force the City < uuiicil to accept whatever terms th'n tramways Union chose to dictate. It is right here that the council required, and it was entitled to, the multitudinous and practical support of all those who were the innocent sull'ercrs of a comparatively groundless and therefore pernicious strike', iliat support the council could have from an organisation of citizens only, an organisation which could, through its committee, be prepared to meet boycott by boycott. (The strike has been an "exploitation and boycott by the few, acting ugiiiiist the interests of the majority of Wellingtons citizens.) Such an organisation as that of a Citizens' Committee, ready tor any emergency, would be calculated to give intending strikers pause. lhey would require in have much better pounds iyr striking than those furnished or the late strike em they precipitated a battle upon the public, their ■•enemy," as one ot the strike leaders put it. For the •enemy," being organised and as well equipped ami numerically stronger than intending strikers, would not Hindi from any encounter introduced bv lawless and argely irresponsible bodies of men. Take he present position in ils relation to the tramwaymon. It is quite natural and conceivable that our innocent sufl'erers, peaceab e citizens who have been hurt bv the strike, will now use- the cars as little as possible; also, (hat (hey will influence heir iriends (o do the same. Let there be no mistake about this-a large number or good Wellington citizens have no longer any love for the present tramway men. These facts will no doubt cause the traiiiwaymen to think hard. Let the Carriers Ijnion and Bootmakers , Union think equally hard. Their action has caused citizens to realise that the whole city ]_s subject to the dictatorship of an organised body of 100 men. This -100 has converted our great majority into a mere •abijle. Is this a fair position for us to be placed in." I submit that it is not. Let us, then, organise, organise now, for we luiTo no guarantee that before thepre-f-ent month has closed a strike from the fame, or from a similar, source Zv b let loose among us.—l am, etc., TIT FOR TAT.