The Dominion WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1913. THE CHALLENGE TO THE PUBLIC.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1642, 8 January 1913, Page 6

The Dominion WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 1913. THE CHALLENGE TO THE PUBLIC.

Within the last twenty-four hours tho true meaning of tho behaviour 1 of' tho firemen of the Maori and other, steamers has become a good deal clearer to the public. _ There is no further necessity to think of the allegedly erroneous telegram which the firemen and their leaders are desperately endeavouring to keep in the front of the dispute. That telegram has ceased to be a part of the situation; indeed, it is clear enough now that it wa3 never a real part of the situation at all. It was merely the pretext—and a very poor pretext too—for tho beginning of a strike. From Christchurch ,it is reported that in both businoss and labour circles it is felt that there is something behind the trouble which has not been revealed. In this, the Christchurch public is merely sharing the opinion of all sensible people in all parts of tho country—and' the tactics which were revealed in the Wellington tramway strike, and later in the strikes at Waihi and Huntly, 'have made the public able to understand militant trade unionism very well indeed.' Fortunately, Mr. Belcher, of Duncdin, comes along to let the cat out of tho bag. Nobody will pay. ,miich attention to his endeavour to' rcprcsont that tho firemen's foolish disregard for the interests of. the public is justified, and even required, by the impoliteness with which firemen have been treated by certain sections of the community. The firemen, he is reported as having told a Dunedin newspaper, have "reached the limit of endurance in the-matter of suffering punishments meted out by Magistrates, masters, and the press for which is considered more or less trivial in other industries." It is true that magistrates and masters have had to deal with a good many • drunken ruffians, and that the prcs3 has rather applauded tho idea that drunkenness and violence on the part of firemen or others engaged in the working of a passenger vessel should bo smartly-scourg-ed. Mr. Belcher's statement,is, in effect, an argument . in .favour--of treating drunken and violent conduct by firemen who aro wanted for duty on their vessels as mere jollity. It might just as well be said that smoking, which is not a serious offenco in a sheep drover, should be treated as trivial also in a powder factory. All the mock indignation of tho firemen and their friends howevor, as Mr. Beloher knows, is beside the point. There are firemen, no doubt, who are worthy of respect and confidence. They, however, are seldom to bo found amongst the unruly and disorderly fellows who cause so much public inconvenience and trouble. ' ■.'"'•■'., ■ But perhaps Mr. Belcher did not cxpect_ to be taken seriously. The mock indignation of the firemen, and thoir.ludicrous pretence of conoern for thoir reputation as mild and and inoffensive gentlemen, cannot now deceive anybody. We do not yet exactly know all tho movements behind tho strike, but that it is part of another insdlcnt challenge to the Sublic is clear enough. Mr. elcher warns the Government that if it attempts to amend the law relating to notice, there will be trouble for all the shipowners concerned. In fact, the union is ready for " a signal for the stoppage of every bit of transport work in the Dominion." These, ho added, "were not idle threats." Very well; the sooner the general transport strike takes place the better. The sooner the United Labour party conies out openly once moi'e in alliance with Mn. Sejiple nnd his Federation, tho sooner t.ho L country. will rid itaolf of the impu-'j

dent tyranny of that section : of Labour, whicn, by constantly promoting industrial strife, is a drag on progress and prosperity. When,the Wellington trnmwuymen struck, and tho U.L.P. leaders were reinforced by the Federation leaders, tho.public was quite ready to see the trouble through, and it would have doncso but for the pusillanimity of our City Council and the anti-civic aims' of a few small politicians on that body. We saw what happened at Waihi— how violence, misrepresentation, persecution, gelignite and revolvers, and all the weapons of a determined and lawless Labour body failed utterly in the end. The Waihi strikers were unable to obtain at any time a grain of public sympathy, for they had not on. their side any of those genuine grievances which can compel sympathy even when the manner of expressing them may require public antagonism. The Seamen's Union, which ill now talking of a general transport strike, has no grievance against the shipowners, and the public will support any courageous stand that is taken against any attempt at bulldozing. Most people feel, when they look at the clasß of men who have managed to secure control of the that the policy of conßtant'irritation and aggression which it is the mere, trade of. those soft-handed demagogues who live by it, will sobner or later end in an organised rush at the public's throat. It is far better for everybody, and best of all fox the great mass of the people who work hard for a living, and who can find their best living in an honourably'peaceful and stable condition of societyj if the. challenge of .tho,demagogues iB accepted and squarely met on the very first occasion. Whether Mr. Belcher's' threats are idle or not, whether the striking firemen are merely bluffing or really bent upon an endeavour to smash up transport and industry, are questions that need, not bo considered. The great bulk of tho public, including the, working men and women whom the United Labour party and the Federation would bring, if they could, into subjection to militant Labour bossism, are. growing heartily sick of the tactics of which .the firemen's'striko is a specimen. Nothing is more likely to harden public feeling against these people than the insolent pretext the firemen have, been encouraged to select for their attack upon tho interests and convenience of, the travelling public. Mr. Belcher's plain threats' will not soften the public's heart.