THE STRIKE—REFLECTIONS OF A MARLBOROUGH FARMER.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1915, 25 November 1913, Page 9

THE STRIKE—REFLECTIONS OF A MARLBOROUGH FARMER.

Sir,—Before offering tlio following obsorvatioas, let me congratulate The Dominion on it-s excellent reports, its fearless leading articles-, its undaunted condemnation of tho strike, and its just reprobation of thoso responsible for tiro present stato of affairs. Well dono, Dominion I One of t3io_ worst features of tlio many improper actions committed by Iho strikers, or rather their loaders, was the boardiug of tlio Government steamer and tlio inducing or the coercing of the crew to leave the vessel. Any caso of emergency arising which in ordinary times could Uo dealt with by that, steamer -would bo wholly ncglccted, because an unscrupulous and impudent person had decided to pat her out of action. 11(0 attention to tlio coiistal lighthouses, the possibility of anv vessel in distress, or even mail services of an important kind, must give way to tlw sweet will of a disturber of tlio peace. Js tliero no law to hold such a person to account for sueli action?

Again, why ill the name of coinmonscvise are sucli -creatures allowed the use of tho telegraph and cables to instruct outsiders to toko this or that measure, to paralyse the industrial or commercial (tSaijVs of the country.? la war

communications are censored, in industrial warfare such as wo have at the present timo the same moans of chocking the free delivery of messages calculated io intensify the misciiiei should ho adopted without hesitation.' Aro not tho authorities at the present time eiiijH)WGl v i'd to intercept messages, or even 1-et-teirs, to or from those whoso operations are doomed undesirable or illegal? Postal and telegraph facilities are established in the public interest, anil for the public good, not- for its destructkm. Further, wo hear a good ileal about certain monopolies; the shipping compares «re cited as instaiKHi-s. Is there a stronger proof of attempted iiiono)Kil.v than that of the Federation of Labour? Companies will certainly endeavour to meat the public needs, hut probably .charge exorbitantly for their sarvkes. The Federntkni, on the ether hand, will not hesitate to cripple th© iiLdiwtries of tlao country on tho most [ fliiksy pretext, and endeavour to obtain by force benefits for themselves which could not be secmrod cither by arbitrationl or other fair meaiss. No award, no agreement wois.M be binding on those «7io fire advised to "toss agreements to Hell" ; yet we are told they are fighting for a'principle. Just, imagine the «b----surditv,' of talking about principle, while they advocate the abandonment of every principle of manly conduct. These disaffected persons also seek to obtain pre' ferenco. Is not that monopolistic in its essc-nce and its application? Is there nob a well-known maxim of. law that all combinations operating to the public detriment are against public. policy, and in restraint <ff trade, ana" consequently illegal? If' 110 specific statu to exists giving express intention and force to this principle, then it should bo enacted forthwith.

..I am pWascd to acknowledge tho invaluable services rendered by tho farmers and their Hons at this critical juncture. Good b'Oys! Well done I You have saved th<3 situation, you deserve the thanks of ttio respectable and sane portion of the community. It is to bo j-egi-etted that there exists any person so utterly contemptible to malign and slander those who at greatpersonal risk came forward to in maintaining orfleij. As to their being "outcasts, they «i-ro not so much deserving of that sitipna as tho person deliberately making it richly deserves to be "cast out," instead of being kept as a. State pensioner. To treat such a one properly is to take away every honour cont-errect, and leave liixn to obtain future distinctions from the Federation bo supports,—l anij etc.., ODLTOR.