INTIMIDATION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1902, 10 November 1913, Page 6

INTIMIDATION.

Those who have given any close attention to the methods of the Federation of Labour and kindred organisations throughout tho world j cannot fail to have realised that when they embark on a strike they ! concern themselves very little with the merit or demerit of their case. '4,'iie only question they consider is whether -they are able by virtuo of the known recklessness of their coilduct or the strength of their numbers to _ intimidate and terrorise those with whom they are in conflict. They pay no heed to injury they may do to thousands of innocent people; they are callously indifferent to the harm they may do the whole, country, and they are blind to the fact that tho injury they do the community must inevitably react on their own heads. The point which Parliament anot that great body of the peoplo which is outside the immediate circle of conilict have to consider is whether any body of workers or employers should be permitted to act in a manner which imperils tho interests of the whole country. It must be conceded,, as we have often pointed oat, that the unionist, providing he does not enter into agreements not to do so, has the right to refuse work. Equally tlio employe? under similar circumstances has the right to close down his business. But while the trades union or tho individual have the right to refuse work, they have no right to attempt to prevent others from doing the work they themselves refuse. Least of all have they the right to prevent that work being done by instituting a reign of terror or by intimidating men anxious to do the work, Tho right of a man to do work that is available to' him is at least as sacred, as tho right of a man to refuse work: and it should be more strenuously safeguarded by the community than the right to idle, because it is essential to the welfare of the community that the work should be done. Therefore when individuals or any combination of people seek by means of threats or violence to prevent, others from performing tasks .which are necessary to tho proper conduct of the ordinary trade an<l industry of a country, it is the duty of the State to.step in and put an end to such intimidation. The chief weapon of the Federation of, Labour is intimidation ; it is a weapon which deprives Wen of the right to work save at the risk of insult or injury; it is a weapon which robs the community of the service of workers necessary to tho carrying on of those undertakings without which business and trade must come to a standstill and ruin spread over the country. The time has come when Parliament must, in the interests of. tho colmtry, lav it down clearly and definitely that every maH who desires to .work shall have the full protection of the law. To secure such protection a substantial penalty must be provided, which will deter either unions or. individuals _ from attempting any form of'intimidation to prevent men from Working. We would suggest to tho Government that it should ; immediately bring in a short Bill of one or two clauses making it a criminal offence to attempt to intimidate by threat or violence any member of the public who desires to undertake lawful work which is available. If an Act were passed rendering all persons, attempting such intimidation liable to twelve months' or two years' imprisonment for each offence, without the option of a fine, the despicable intimidation and terrorism which have been carried on under the. methods of the Federation of Labour would quickly _ cease, and ally dispute which might arise be fought out on its merits. Hundreds of waterside workers who know that the present strike cannot under any circunisiances do them any goad, and, who -a.ro anxious to return 'to work, would do so but for the fear they have of victimisation at, the hands of the Federation of Labour. This is allegedly a free country, but in it men are deprived of the freedom to work and go in fear of life and limb if in the interest of their families they darq defy'the tyrannical dominance of the Labour agitators. Parliament must see that tho intimidation that is practised is a Monstrous injustice to all free men and prejudicial to tho interests of the whole country. An Act such as we have suggested, which could be passed to-day or to-morrow, would prove a wholesome deterrent and would meet with the hearty approval of any right-minded citizen,