The Dominion. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1913. PROPOSALS FOR A SETTLEMENT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1896, 3 November 1913, Page 6

The Dominion. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1913. PROPOSALS FOR A SETTLEMENT

It will bo seen from our news columns to-day that as a result of tho conference between the delegates from tho various trades and labour organisations in the city, the Federation of Labour has made overtures for a peaceful settlement of the waterside workers' strike. The basis of settlement suggested is practically on the lines laid down last week by tha employers when Me. Massey, acting as mediator, endeavoured to bring the strugglo to an end by getting the parties together to- discuss conditions under which the men would go back to work. "The employers, after this conference, submitted four alternative proposals, all of which were rejected by tho strikers. Now, as the.- result presumably of tho pressure of outside unions, and tho marked change in jthe situation duo to the presenoe in the oity of a sufficient force of police and special constables to protect tho public, and any free labour which may bo employed, from tho lawlessness of mob rule, ; tho strikers, through their leaders, changed their attitude as to the terms offered. This is an encouraging sign, but it is by no means certain that tho proposals a-s placed before the Prime Minister yesterday will.bo acceptable to the employers. It will be recalled that 'when tho Waterside Union so emphatically rejectod the terms of settlement offered by the employers, tho latter did noB keep j the offer open indefinitely, and it was withdrawn last week. The ■ whole question will, therefore, have' to be reopened anew, so far as tho employers aro concerned, if a conference is agreed to as requested. The employers, wo have every confidence, will accede to the request for a further conference, and will, no doubt, approach tho proposal of tho strikers in a reasonable spirit. It has to be borne in mind, however, that the Federation of Labour, which has now assumed control of the strike, is not an organisation which commands the confidence of the employers; and the unprovoked breach of agreement by tho waterside workers which led to the present trouble does not encourage the belief that futureagreements entered into by it will be regarded as any more binding than that which it so readily broke. In the circumstances it may bo taken for granted that the employers will not be satisfied with any proposal which does not afford them adequate assurance that the terms of tho agreement arrived at will bo honourably adhered to.- A patched-up truce which affords no_ guarantee of a reasonably long period of industrial peace is quite useless at the present juncture. It would have, an unsettling effect on both employers and employees, who would be _in constant expectation of some trifling happening leading to another period of turmoil and disorder. Better for all concerned to go right through with the present struggle to tho bitter end than to arrange a settlement which may be broken without penalty in the ruthless and wholly unjustifiable fashion in which tho last agreement was treated by tho watersido workers. A satisfactory settlement of tho trouble, however, we believe to bo possible, and we should be very glad to see it brought about in tho interests of all concerned. But it must bo a settlement which concedes nothing to lawlessness, and which safeguards not merely the interests of the parties thereto, but also those of the general public. Therefore, it must first of all be an agreement which will adequately bind the parties to it, and it must be for a reasonable period of time.