THE CLERGY AND THE STRIKE

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

THE CLERGY AND THE STRIKE

Sir,—Your attack . upon mo in this morning's loading article calls for somo reply. Obviously you did not know what I really said in the park last Sunday, or yon could not'hav-o allowed yourself so badly to misquote and misrepresent niy utterance. Tako an instance. You accuse, me of saying: "Lot it bo recorded before high Heaven, that the men did ijot striko the 1 first blow." This you characterise as "a gVoss and glaring mis-statement of tho fact." But I was'not discussing "the fact," and I did not say what you accuse me of saying. Had you. turned to tho report of the "Times" you would have seen that my words wero not a declaration concerning tho past, but an appeal concerning tho future. I urged the men to quit all use of intoxicating liquor. I warned them of the injury to themselves and tho cause of peace by tho use of inflammatory language, and the loss of self-control. I pointed out the overwhelming strength of' the forces against .them, arid the possibility and probability or defeat in actual conflict, at least for the time. I asked them to realise what a conflict in our streets meant, the bloodshed, loss of life) and indelible stain on the history of "God's Own Country." Tlion I closed with an appeal to tho crowd: "As much as lieth in you live peacefully, by every means in your power provent any act of aggression which might procipitate the dreaded conflict, and when tlio strike is over let it be your record beforo high I-leaven that you did everything possible to effect a peaceful settlement, and if thero must be conflict and bloodshed at least I appeal to you to highly resolve that yon will not strike the first- blow." As to tho resolution t moved, I stand to it. As to tho speech, both what has been truly reporter], and what has been left out I stand to every word of it. I am not responsible for your misquotations and misrepresentations. You seem to think I said to this meeting which was not considered beforehand. Let me say it was very carefully considered, and if thero is any meeting of the employers, tho special constables, and tho gener.il public supporting tliem, I am ready to delivar tho same speech and make tho same appeal in' their hearing should thoy be willing to extend to ine the samo courtesy that I received from tho men at Newtown Park on Sunday. Furthermore, I am ready in any public meeting where I can obtain tho opportunity to reaffirm and defend my contention that the Government had no right, beforo' exhausting all peaceful means of settlement, to invade this city -with armed forces. If it- wore felt necessary to make preparations of this kind thoy should have been mado with less trumpeting and boasting, and the men should havo been encamped fomewhere outsido tho city. There lias been no disturbance yet the regular polico could, not deal with, and this invasion of armed men has boon a source of incalculable inflammation. Itis not too lato for tho Government to withdraw those forces to a distanoo. M-eanwhilo- if thss olo»» davn. the oslo

of liquor till the striko is over, they will havo caniod tho enduring gratitudo of all men who desiro to seo a fair field and 110 handicap for the councils of conciliation and peace.—l am, etc.. A. T. BRAINSBY. 8 St. John Street, City, November 4th, 1913.

[Mr. Drainsbv says he has boon misrepresented ami quotes an extract from tho report of bis speech in tho "New Zealand Times'-' to support him oil tho point in our article which ho challenges. Wo quote below the full report of the "Times" of tho spcech in question, and our readers can seo for themselves whether or not our comments ou Mr. Brainsby's utterances were justified:

"The llcv. Mr, Brainsby said that he could not say how much he admired Uio committed in allowing him, a total stranger, to address them. If this courtesy was representative of tho spirit in which their campaign had been conducted tho matter should have been brought to a satisfactory settlement within twenty-four hours. If a similar spirit had prevailed on the other side.

"A voice: 'It can't.'

"Tho speaker said that he admired the manner in which the speeches had been delivered in the Post Office Square and at tho park that afternoon. As ono who was familiar with tho Old Country he could not remember in all his experionco seeing sucli a crowd gather in the wet to decide serious matters in regard to their cause. It was a testimony to those who did not attend tho meetings. This was not a toy battle, but a very serious matter. Ho lmd been asked to move a resolution which had been slightly altered at his suggestion, and he could move it without the slightest hesitation. It was—

" That this meoting of Wellington citizens protest against the unnecessary invasion of our city by armed men, while tho workers aro still ready to return to work and before all peaceful methods of settlement havo been exhausted.', "'With all Siiy heart,' ho said, 'I move that resolution, and I am confident from tho temper of this crowd it will be carried* I have heard both sides of tho question. They .say that tho owners aro offered threats, well 11 hear similar threats on their side, and it is up to tho cultured and money classes to set an example. This is the twentieth century, and it should not be Possible to have civil war in our streets. I havo not yet hoard of any- action in this dispnto which justified it. If there is civil war it will bo a shame, and a blot on the record of this city. As much as lies in .your power see that you ishall not strike the first blow which plunges this city into strife. Until every peaceful means is exhausted, neither the Government nor any other class havo tho right to bring the military into tho street to fight in order to protect private property. Surn'v you have property in your lives and and tliev aro as valuable as any buildings that were over erected. I hare vet; to learn that the man who owns a'farnt or a boat is a better man than the worker. I havo learned i:o esteem no man for his name or his position, but for his character.' Mr. Brainsby concluded by pointinn out it was tho man who was cool and calculating who won in tlie long run, but ho uraed them to let it bo a record before high Heaven f hat the.y did everything possible to settle the matter before they were farced to fight."]