THE GENERAL STRIKE "BLUFF."

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1360, 10 February 1912, Page 3

THE GENERAL STRIKE "BLUFF."

Sir.—Tho Acl ins-Mayor, Mr. John Smith, and tho*! City Councillors who threw down their cards, when the strike agitators, Young, Semple, and Co., raised a blulV against them over tho tramway strike business, rightly deserve the honour of being classed with Mark Twain's "Innocents Abroad." Tho strike agitators' throat "That if mailers were not settled as they dictated by noon on Monday, they would call upon every worker in the Dominion to 'down tools'" was accepted by most level-headed people outside tho City Council as pure, unmitigated blnir. This the strike agitators and secrelary of the Tramway Union well knew. They, further, were well aware, that no financial assistance could be expected from outside tho Dominion. • J hey also knew that tho Tramway Union treasury was empty, and that Ihe majority of labour unions in Xew Zealand would, in the event of a general stnke, have nioTO than they could do to provide strike doles for" their own members. The blustor of Messrs. Young and his friends was reminiscent of the oitorts oi negro boxers working up a Road Rate, ami all the time in deadly ear that the public will become wise to their bluff. That (he strike agitator bliilicrs were hi deadly fear that the C'itv Council would call upon (hem to show their liaiKl was very obvious to outsiders, and the appearance of the Premier on the scene ..at whuso instigation is bestknown to himself and this select tew in whoso interest he acted) just' saved the face of (hose who loudly threatened (o paralyse commerce bv callin.? a general strike. Had the 'strike agitators been forced into tho position of carrying out their bluff, the workers won d have been great sufferers, and would have witnessed the greatest uiim-o that has ever resulted in connection with labour troubles. The fact that the local press published in full all Ihe vulgarlyexpressed threats of a few sell-appointed tramway Imon champions, whilst the voices of lens of thousands of levelheaded men and women wore not heard, was accepted by the bluffers and those who blindly followed thorn as prima facie testimony that the whole of tho populace were in agreement, with their tactics. Had a prominent citizen arisen and called upon (he public of this city to meet and discuss tho paltry, tramway" squabble, the gathering would have had to bu in (lie. open air, as no building in Wellington could have held them. There would have been no question as to their views, DO per cent, at least being solid for law and order as against bluff and anarchy. Mioura at any time the workers of this Dominion have a legitimate grievance against; their employers, they may count upon the public assisting (hem to tho utmost to obtain fair play, but tho employment, of such vulgar methods as were adopted by those who termed themselves the Tramway Union's Strike Committee could only tend to prejudice fair-minded men and women unfavourably towards those who thought that they had a grievance.

I will conclude by advising nil decent working men to cret rid of the loudmouthed vn);;ar agitators, who toil not but live in luxury nnd dress in fine linen at tho expense of Utc toilers. These men merely use the workers as stepping-stonos, tho object of the majority of these fellows being a seat in Parliament or a fnt billet. Surely the workers have in their ranks honest, able men who can conduct the affairs of their union?, without calling upon indolent professional agitators (many of them young men well ablb to work for their living). I commend my notes to the honest hard-working members of this community with whom I have always been in sympathy.—l am. etc.. JO YEARS A WORKER.