THE LABOUR CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1667, 6 February 1913, Page 8

THE LABOUR CONFERENCE.

Sir,—With your permission I would liko to say a few words upon tho above show. Labourites aro never so happy and significant as when they aro eitting in conference, and having the l'rcss Association ti draw tho.whole country's attention to their momentous resolutions. But nobody need be much concerned, thereat, for their resolutions aro likely to vanish liko mist before' the rising sun. Their whole union system has been in tho melting-pot for tho purpose of reforming and transforming themselves, and also for tho purpose of opposing a E«form Government. It is only about a year ago that many of tho Labourites Were denouncing Wardism. Tho fact of the matter is, the Labourites aro incompatible with any true government; they are also incompatible with Liberalism. Sir J. Ward conceived tho idea, of "Liberal and Labour," and in his own presumptive way said "And wo shall win." . But the two elements are unworkable. They would bo something liko a farmer, ploughing with a horse and a jackass. We aro told that thcro are certain animals which cannot be tametl, to in .liko manner there are many men who are not conformable to good government. They are a class of men who want to bo a law to themselves. Dogs growl and pigs grunt, but the Labourites can do both, and are always at it. Unity is their great conception. Unity is strength sometimes,. • but not always.; Unity with indiscretion and selfishness is a weakness and a folly. Thcro is such a diversity of unions that they don't know how to sort themselves. The more they bind themselves for the sake of monopoly, tho less freedom they will have. Unionism- has become a veritable barbedwire entanglement. • Unionists 'know no freedom, peace, or satisfaction. Good menand good workers can never be niado' by union machinery. Sir, in my opinion, if there are.any people deserving to bo called, scabs, they are those who take pleasure • in using such liko opprobrious names. I consider it ought'to bo a criminal offence to ; mako frequent use of 6uch terms.—l am, etc., . JAMES FORTUNE. New Plymouth, January 31.'