DOCTRINES OF DISHONOUR.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1899, 6 November 1913, Page 9

DOCTRINES OF DISHONOUR.

FEDERATION PPJNCIPI/ES,

"LET US TOSS EVERY AGREEMENT TO HELL."

Tho people of Wellington during the last fe-.v days havo had practical experience of the anarchical forces behind tlio Federation of Labour. Much of what has been written and said in the past by leading officials of the federation has been regarded by many as mere bluster, but it is worth whilo glancing back at this juncture at some of the doctrines wliicli have been preached. A striking examplo of the kind of stuff that has l»en circulated is the articlo ,r iKl'aked f Uo "Maoriland Worker"

of February 7, 1012, under the heading, "Lest We Forget," and reprinted by tho "Evening I'ost" last evening. Tho article was written by Mr. I'. 11. Hickey, one of tho organisers of the Federation of Labour and sub-editor <>! the "Worker."

"The Federation of Labour," wrote Mr. Hickey in the article wider notice, "was the outcome of the activities of class-conscious workers desirous of building up in New Zealand :t revolutionary organisation to assist in the abolition of wage-slavery. Its primary object was_ the education of the workers in tho principles of industrial organisation; to teach tho significance ol the class war; to malco apparent to the working class that no other £oal than that'of Socialism was worthy of a work-ing-class organisation. ... "Of late there has hoen much talk ol 'agreements,' 'industrial peace,' 'loyalty to employers,' and such-like phrases. Don't listen 'to them. Don't believe them. There can bo no industrial peace in Now Zealand while the capitalist system lasts. Tlioro can be no talk of 'loyalty' between workers and employers. . . . "Recognise that every agreement entered ink) is not binding upon you for a single instant. No, not if it were signed by a thousand officials and ratified by a dozen Courts. The agreement is not sacred. Only a fool would TOgard it as such. The moment an opportunity occurs to better your condition break your agreement. Break it whenever it will pay you to do so. ... "Ii wo are to bo hobbled by agreements' our motto, 'an injury to ono is tho concern of .ill,' bccomcs a mockery. ... ■ • "Aro wo Industrialists? Aro we Revolutionists? If we are, let us act accordingly. If necessary, lot us toss every agreement to hell."