A SERIOUS SITUATION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1911, 20 November 1913, Page 9

A SERIOUS SITUATION.

Sjjyr-Ofotir papsr lias been very good in publishing letters giving various vifews of tho "strike question," and, although mucli argument is used ou both sides, still, wo aro no nearer settlement, and, frojii appearances, it looks as if it xvijfi drag oii to any length. Thus it is evident one side Will have to give hi a little, or, to use perhaps :i hotter term, conciliate, otherwise settlcmcnt is as fai' oil' as ever. II .surh a course is not taken, it becomes evident to t.Ji'o person not actually in. the struggle that, each side is stupidly pug* iiacicms, caeli lighting fpr nnagiitarj principles. The Ked leaders for their esmtenco, and the employers for .Arbitration ; and even if thoy win thsy cau bo easily beaten by a vote oi t-lie union, «'hich may deeidu to secedc. Even if they do that they still comply with tho law of tho Dominion. ■ Ik+weeii these' two hot-headed genticmen is the poor, sik>ut individual, long-suffering, ' .and timidly allowing his very living to dwindle whilst tho struggle lasts, Thereioj-6, ho will ultimately t.n'ru against both partioSj and bo forced ii.ito taking, sides ; aii.d, owing to bis now hlnnbic position, will be ignored by tho mnploycrs l side, aiid for self-protection will bo fo-rcod to join people from whom at the present lie holds aloof. On tho Other lianci, j.f iio. ; can ■- si-ili-manage to keep going, to keep out ol tho direct fire, ho must lose/ money, anil still hnvo only ono> position to face in future—increased freights. .stronger combinations, and sn increase in tho cost of his goods, whjqli lie will bo unable to pass on to either oiic side- or tho other pausing tlm prosui.t uphc.4yal. To this quiet, liiouensivo tradesman. it is evident that tho employer will Jose .nothing, whilst tho shopkeeper suffers heavily, I'll, oil, lastJl?', there is that largo section,-perhaps tho. largest, of all' industrial. Sections— the. people that voted against tho strikes, aut] yet ihoii will bo wronged, simply bccauso they cannot get adequate protection. This is a very weak part of .our Labour and up to.noW it is almost ..impossibio for a .jijiii.Qn.tv unionist to Stick ' at uoilr, becauso his life will bo mado a hell an :earth with ..daily!,' perhaps "Ivqnrly. and h,o has' no redress, and cvoii if lie' kept appealing to : his- employers for" protection, they would eventually tiro of his appeals, and most probably for their own comfort' dischaigfi him, Ido admit that tho. present Gotornment's secret ballot .would do much for the future quietness Of Jvew Zealand industrial life, but that Joes not fconio into this struggles and tho only■ means of a scttloment is com-mon-sense. I'lfereforp ■eo.Gl) ,,, .si'de'\'' : m'.ii:st bo prepared to yield something.—l am, INTERESTED [Oni- correspondent,docs not appear to realise tli.at has long since passed. Any concession granted now would''& .it .concossibu. to mob violence and iiitinndation of. tho worst kind. .\"o doubt the strike is RiVUEiiiig-fos's.n l better to face that loss now, and oiid tlio teiionsm of the Red Fcdciation, tliiiii to patch up a settlement winch will leave the country, still confronted with the menace of perpetual industrial strife, mob violence, and the open d<v fiance of law and order.) ' '