THE UNITY CONGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1790, 1 July 1913, Page 4

THE UNITY CONGRESS.

The fortunes of organised Labour in Now Zealand, as a political force at least, are dependent probably for some years to come on the result of the Congress which opens hero today. It is a great occasion—in some respects greater than, many of those participating in it realise—and it is in danger of being marred by internal divisions promoted to serve the ends of the remnant of "Liberalism." The purpose of the Congress is two-fold. It is designed to secure unity of action on the part of organised Labour: (1) for industrial purposes, (2) for political ends. The basis of unity suggested provides that the industrial movement shall conduct its operations under the title of the United Federation of Labour, while the political work is to proceed under tho name of the SocialDemocratic party. These two organisations are fo have separate existences, but will co-operate with- one another in every possible way to further the ends of organised Labour. It is not worth while discussing the details of the proposed basis of unity at the present stage. There will, no doubt, be many changes in the draft constitution before it finally meets with the approval of delegates—if it ever reaches so far —and in the meantime what we have briefly outlined above will be sufficient to enable our readers to follow the reports of the proceedings of the Congress. So far as we can gather, the meeting is one of the most representative, if not the most representative, of its kind ever held in New Zealand, but it does not include the whole !of the organised Labour bodies. It is significant, however, of the desire in Labour circles for a healing'of past sectional breaches, with a view to united action, that the delegates to the Congress include extreme Socialists, the militants of the "Red Federation," and "representatives _ of_ the less aggressivo unions which in the past have ranged themselves under the banner of the Trades and Labour Councils. In- the past organised Labour in New Zealand has never had leaders big enough and selfsacrificing enough to map out a definite and independent course for Labour, and stick to it. The result has been, as we have often shown, that the strength of the Labour party has been diverted by the treachery or ignorance of its own leaders, to serve as a useful tool for the so-callcd "Liberal" party, instead of being utilised to build up the power and influence of Labour itself as a separate and independent party. Even at the present moment, with the treatment of Labour by the W.u:d Administration fresh in tho memory of everyone, there are men. closely associated with the Labour movement who are striving to induce their fellow-unionists to once more damn the future of Labour by alliance with a discredited political party. The success of the unity movement is threatened almost at its birth by this attempt to take from it its independence and saddle it with the burden of the misdeeds of the Continuous Ministry. It will be extremely interesting to note tho reception accorded by tho dolcgatcß to

those who, at this vital stage of the movement, have sought to change the course of events, and by so doing placed in jeopardy the whole basis of unity. The action of these sowers of discord is one more proof, if proof were needed, that Labour's worst enemies are to be found within its own ranks. Unfortunately for itself, organised Labour in New Zealand is most amazingly slow in profiting by its past experiences. In Australia, where separate and independent action has done so much for the Labour movement, the Labour leader who would now vcntui;c to split the party, and place its independence in jeopardy for the sake of an alliance with a rival political organisation which had in the past betrayed it, would not long remain an active factor in Labour affairs.