The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, .NOVEMBER 5, 1913. A CONTRAST IN LEADERSHIP.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1898, 5 November 1913, Page 4

The Dominion. WEDNESDAY, .NOVEMBER 5, 1913. A CONTRAST IN LEADERSHIP.

"Strikes do not pay. They are a barbarous, cruel') oostly, and ineffective way of trying to remedy tho wrongs of labour. They do not pay tho workmen; they do not pay tho community; the employers are the only party wlio can bo said in any way. to gain, by them. They have powers in their hands by which they can speedily more than recoup themselves for any temporary loss a strike inay inflict upon them." These words express the deliberate opinion of Mr. Philip Snowden, M.P., and occur in a remarkablo letter by him to the London Morning Post, a brief summary of which recently appeared in our cable columns. ,The latest English mail brings the full text of the letter, which' has a very important bearing on many of the questions which have been raised in connection with the present crisis in New Zealand. Mb. SnoWdeh is one of the Labour members of tho British Parliament, and is a very advanced social reformer. He was at one time chairman of' the Independent Labour Party, and iB the author of books, and pamphlets on Socialism. For years he has studied labour and social problems from tho point of viow of the worker, and all his sympathies aro with tho wageearners. It seems absolutely incredible that the working classes of New Zealand should pay more attention to the wild theories of-reck-less demagogues than_ to tho carefully thought-out opinions _ of a Labour leader .with the experience of Mr. Snowden. The present strike tactics in New Zealand show how completely out of touch those in control of the Federation of Labour are with the ideas, and methods of tho most thoughtful section of the British Labour Party. Thoy are following tho wild and revolutionary tactics of Mr. Larkin and Mr. Tillett in preference to tho policy advocated by Mr. Snowden, Mr. Henderson, Mr. Sexton, and other leaders who speak with knowledge and a sense of responsibility. Referring to a series of articles which have appeared in tho Morning Post by well-known trades union officials, Mr. Snowden comments on the moderation of their statements, and particularly their strongly-expressed dislike of strikes, except as a disagreeable last resort, ana he declares that these are the views "of practically every man who is to-day at the head of a great trade organisation." No man in his senses can pretend that the present New Zealand strike was started as a last resort. It was wantonly and deliberately entered into in spite of an agreement in which special provision was made for the peaooful settlement of any dispute that might arise between the parties concerned. The crisis is a. striking example of tho action of that "noisy section of trades unionists who aro undisciplined and dangerous," to use the words of Mr. Snowden, whereas "tho great body of them-' aro disposed to act in a regular and disciplined way." Many sober-minded workmen aro being unwillingly drawn into tho fray t knowing full well that they aro marching to disaster. These men know the futility of the tactics that aro being employed, and aro convinced that they aro the victims of utterly incompetent leadership; but they aro being swept along by a machine of which they havo lost control. The more reckless'spirits seem to think that tho wider they can spread the trouble the more likely they are to bo victorious, but the workers who stop to think will know that Mr. Snowden is right when ho Eta tea that the bigger the strike is the sooner tho funds of the union aro exhaustedA "FiVery additional body of men who leave their work are helping to make tho dofeat of tho others, mora sncadx and certain. -,

Mr. Snowden believes that the only satisfactory way of settling labour disputes is by conciliation between three parties—trades unions,' a employers, and the public. This, of course, means State arbitration.