The Dominion. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1913. THE RED FLAG.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1909, 18 November 1913, Page 6

The Dominion. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1913. THE RED FLAG.

The repeated indiscretions of the Federation of Labour's leading spirits should serve a useful purpose in assisting to enlighten the public —if they need further enlightenment—as to the real nature of the plot which has been hatching against the peace and welfare of the Dominion. In their, saner moments the strike leaders endeavour to convince the public that the struggle now proceeding is the outcome of an attack on labour unionism. This pretence certainly has not been very successful. The facts prove too conclusively that the_ employing , interests are more anxious than the Socialists and Anarchists of the "Red Federation" to encourage legitimate labour unionism. It_ has been made abundantly clear, times without' number, that what the employers and the public "desire, and what it is essential in the interests of all classes that the country should have, is labour unionism which honestly enters into agreements and honourably adheres to them when entered into. The Federation of Labour, as is now well known, preaches the doctrine that agreements are the work of the devil and should be consigned to Hades. At the present moment the Federation is somewhat anxious to beep its dishonourable disregard for its industrial , contracts in the background, but one of its firebrand soap-box orators, Mr. Allen, who is said to be the acting-editor of its official organ, was indiscreet enough on Sunday last to unburden himself on this point. He reiterated with emphasis the doctrine attributed to Mr. Hickcy that no agreements between employers and workers- could be binding, because the essence of a contract.was that'it should be voluntary, and the workers were not free agents in the making of agreements: they made them with the pistol at their heads. There could bo no end, he said, to the struggle until the workers were masters oi the means of production. How is it possible for the employers to come to terms with people who hold that no agree* ment between employers and workers can be binding ? Mr. Allen also exploded the pretence that tho strikers were fighting fur the existence of trades unionism, for he declared that the 'struggle could not; <>nd until the workers were masters of the means of production. The amiable purpose of the Federation, it will be seen, is to wipe out of existence all employers of labour, and presumably also- to confiscate tho lands of the farmers. But these revolutionary gentlemen do not stop at this. One of the speakers at the Newtown Park demonstration on ; Sunday 'afternoon openly boasted that he' stood for revolutionary action, and stated that this was no time for 'Parliamentary palliatives. Such a declaration can leave no room for doubt, and should serve as a bracing tonic to those foolish busybodies who are doing a good deal of mischief by encouraging the. Federation of Labour by indiscreet utterances' and suggestions in and out of Parliament. It is full time that it was clearly realised that the revolutionary element behind the "Bed Federation" has been building up, in tho name of labour unionism, a movement to wreck our whole social system. This is no exaggeration. In their more candid moments these preachers of anarchy make no secret of the fact that their aim is to completely wreck the existing social order, with the object of erecting on its ruins a Socialistic republic. If anyrine should have any doubt on this point, lie has only to read the statement made by one of the Federation 'leaders on Sunday night. "We will," he said, "have that old red flag over the top of Parliament Buildings yet as a sign that New Zealand is the first Socialist republic in the world." When gross disloyalty of this character is being openly preached by Federation orators it is no wonder that 'the lawabiding people from end to end of the Dominion, no matter what their political opinions may be, are' rallying round the Prime Minister and his colleagues, and backing up the Government in its determination to maintain the supremacy of the law of the 'land. It is fortunate, in one; respect, that the Federation of Labour, over-rating its power to intimidate the public, made its move before it was fully prepared for action. It has shown the ultimate purpose behind its organisation too plainly, and the public who have been eontent in the past to observe its actions and note the wild language of its leaders with amusement and contempt, now fully realise the serious side to the situation." We cannot believe that any substantial part of organised labour has any sympathy with the ambition of the Federation of Labour to wreck New Zealand and hoist the "Red Flag" of anarchy and terrorism, and certainly the great bulk of the people have no sympathy with such a movement. Oil the contrary, it has been already clearly demonstrated that so far as the general public are concerned the 'mis-named Federation of Lntmur haa sounded its own death-knell