A BELATED CONVERT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1912, 21 November 1913, Page 6

A BELATED CONVERT.

S The disgraceful occurrence at Lyt- , teltou on Tuesday, when a lawless r. mob, taking advantage of the un^ f willingness of the authorities to take 3 special steps for the preservation of f order, rushed the wharves and vio- . lefltly prevented the working _ of , cargo, is responsible for a- rightt about-face on the part of the Lijtlel- - ton Times. On Tuesday morning, i in the course of an article entitled 3 "Nob Wanted," that journal, in j pursuance of its policy of decrying 1 the efforts of the Government to prcr vent strike lawless&ess, declared: There is absolutely nothing about the 3 local situation to suggest that the reguf l.ar police force will liot be able to do all that is required in. the way of guarding life and property, send we_ have had 1 too (nuch evidence already of the fact - that the special constable is an ineeii* live to disorder. The chairman, of.the j; Lytteltoft Strike Committee has publicly' l stated that the strikers do not intend to. adopt violent methods, au.il the comniit- ' tee itself has carried ii resolution to ti.ie t same effect. In these circumstances, tlio l employers will be well advised to keep ■i the' "spreialfi." at frame. . . •• \Vo ;' should like to see the strikers given J credit for being jaw-Abiding cltizess, and J if the threat to flood the port with spe- > cial constables is carried out they oer-. ) tainly will have spme cause for cttm- > plaint. i The people of 'Wellington know by i actual experience how untrue it is b to suggest "that the special constable i is an incentive to disorder," and - Tuesday's riot shook _ the humbug - out of the LytteUon Times and made - it change its tune. The following 1 is an extract from an, article en--5 titled. "A Deplorable Blunder," i which appeared in Wednesday's isi sue, the day after its mischievous - declaration that special constables - wfti'c not wanted: W<j must confess to beifig .bitterly -disappointed by the.failure of the waterside workers .at. Lytteiton yesterday .to maiii* tniri the ex.einpla.ry attitude they had adopted from the beginiiing of the strike. Possibly our (tisappbiritmerit tends ua to take too hatsh a vieSy of their conduct, r but we caji thiiik of ao excuse that can , be offered on their behalf. The know- ' ledge that preparations were in progress ! for sending special sionstalsles to the Port i should ha;'ve made thent all the more j ausious to show thero was 'no iiec'essity for such a step; It was a deplorable tac- [ tical MtiEder',' to $aj' the least of their nnhapjiy demonstration, to alio* the " first display of f oroe to coitie from their ; side. . . . Tho strikers, to put it i, briefly and as litSH oiferiSively as pps- - sible. have- not proved. iis- good as tlieir Woi-d. Instead of. -justifying their own cause by o sorupulpws observance of tho ' law they have provided the •emp'ksyei's - with justification for the importotiuii nf • special constebles for the. maihte'ntaeo of . order. i. The LyHdim finite, apd certain ' ■ other " Opposition . journals : like i the Leader of the Party they .sup- ! port, have done aa imftenso amouht, • of mischief' by thqir commerfts on ; i the strike and on the steps taken to , - prevent lawlessness and ijisordfti\ *. They pretend; to be-l-icve that the - strikers a,iid their friends are as ' harmless as suckirj-g doves,.and"in-- ; dulgo in pfensive _ criticism of the s pubiic-spirited eitizens . who have r come forward.to uphold lav? a,nd or-- ) der. The public, iwe trust, will not • soon forget the injury done by the ; papers and politicians who have so ) grossly betrayed the camittimity in i the present crisis in order to Serve ! political ends and win the support • of tlio. lawless -eleme&ts' that have i raaged themselves under the .Bed • Flag »f the Federation: of Labour.