"INTOLERABLE ARROGANCE."

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1923, 4 December 1913, Page 8

"INTOLERABLE ARROGANCE."

EMPLOYERS' MANIFESTO, /

OBJECT & AIM OF STRIKE,

NO PLIGHTED WORD FINAL.

FEDERATION & I.W.W. ALLIES

The following manifesto was issued by the Employers', Farmers', and Citizens' IM'enco Committee yesterday evening:— "The Employers', Farmers', and Citizens' Defence Committee, having collectively and individually pledged itself to the elimination of tho United Federation of Labour, its officers and representatives, from any future negotiations with unions of workers, and has dotie so for the following, among other, reasons:— The Committee emphatically states that there is now no point which led up to tho existing strike upon which to treat. Further means havo been provided by law for the formation of unions under tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. .-I, Such unions havo been duly , formed and registered, and members of tho same aro now employed effectively doing the work of tho ports/ and in which waterside workers, drivers, and other workers were engaged before tho strike on the same terms as regards rates of pay and hours of labour. Tho said unions are open to tho men who struck to join, and they can obtain employment through them. The Defence Committee, being legally and morally pledged to stioli unions, can only meet workers through them. In these circumstances the Committee cannot recognise tho Federation as having any right of intervention. Tho experience of employers of tho actions of unions that have cancelled registration, and havo been allied with and dominated by the Federation, has been moro than sufficient to justify them in eliminating that body from any negotiations in future, between them and the workers. The Shifty, impossible Federation, "The employers' relations with unregistered unions, and especially with such unions as have been affiliated with the Federation, have been conspicuous •or the frequency with which tlio workers have broken their agreements, and ilso for friction arising out of the interpretation by workers' representatives of agreements when such havo been nominally observed. In tho case of the AVellington Waterside AVorkers' Union, the employers did not insist upon registration under the Arbitration Act until every proposal made by them was rejected by the union through the Federation's "representatives. _ Thcso proposals included tho furnishing of a guarantee against strikes \vjthout reference first to a committee of representatives of employers and employees', and taking of a secret ballot.under the supervision of a Government official.

"Tlio proposal of tho Primo Minister to refer tho dispute to tho arbitrament of Sir Joshua Williams was also definitely rejected by the said AVatorside AVorkers' Union, through the Federation, although it has now changed its mind, and wishes for such arbitrament. "Even while negotiations for settlement of the strike wcro in progress, and the representatives of employers and tho Federation wcro conferring, tho Federation would not give assurance that an agreement would be kept, and it mado no sign of discouraging oho public speeches of its members urging disorder, intimidation, sabotage, and violence, and the complete paralysis of the industries of the Dominion/ Tho character of tho speeches wcro such, as ,to encourage and incite, and the cammission of acts of personal injury, threatening of fellow-workers, destruction of property, rioting in the streets, imperilling of produco for export, and the dislocation of the whole trade of tho country), and this not only to the less of employers, but also to tho hardship of the workers themselves,

"The Committee again points out that the strike was not ono for easier working conditions, for higher Wages, or shorter hours. The strike of tlio AVellington AVatersido A\ 7 orkers' Union, fortified by' tho Federation, was but an expression of the intolerablo arrogance shown to employers, and in complete harmony with tho doctrines instilled into the minds of workers who have como under the control or influence, or both, of the Federation. Federation and I.W.W. Idontioai. "In this connection, it should be borne in mind by the employees, ra well as the employers, that tlio Federation and the Industrial AVorkers of tiic World, or 1.W.W., aro" identical in structure, functions, propaganda, and methods, and tho only difference between them is one of name. "Tho preambles of tho constitution of the i.AV.W. and tho Federation aro almost the same. Roth open with the postulate, 'the working class and the employing dass have northing in common.' Clause 3of tho preamble of the I.W.W. contains the following sentence: 'Moreover, the trade unions aid the employing class to mislead tho workers into tho belief that the working class havo interests in common with their employers.' This is omitted from tho Federation's preamble. Clause 5 of tho I.AV.W. prcamblo reads: 'instead of tho conservative rcottof "A fair day's wages for a fair day's work," wo must inscribe on our banner tho revolutionary watchword, "Abolition of tho wage syste.ii." ' The corresponding clauso of tho Federation's preamble reads instead of tho consenatiyo- motto, 'A fair day's wages for a fair day's work.' Our watchword is, 'Abolition of tho wage system.' For the rest the preambles aro textual!}' the same.

"The plan of campaign of tho Federation follows to the letter that of the I.W.W. Tho I.W.W. aspires to effect 'complete surrender from the employing class oi al' control of industry to organised workers.' (Vide I.W.W. Manual.) Tho Waterside Workers' Union, allied to tho federation, practically did take 'all control of industry' on the wharves and the ships until the Government enforced, tho observance of law antl order by means of tho police forco and special constabulary. "Ho Terms with en Employer aro Final." "The I.W.W. insists that 'no terms made with an employer are final.' The Wellington waterside workers, on the showing of their president (Mr. F. Curtis), broke your agreement from A to 'A, and it was in consequence of ihe frequent and flagrant breaking of that agreement that the employers resolved that they wori no longer parties to it. Further, a l'o.v days after its signature cm January 17, 19.12, Mr. Hiekoy, secretary to tho Federation, publicly gave expression to tho following views on the observance of agreements: — " 'Every agreement en If red into is not binding upon you for a single instant, no. not if it nj signed by a thousand ollicials'and ralilicd by a dozen courts. The. agreement is not sacred. Only a fool would regard it as such. Tho moment an opportunity occurs to better your condition, rtreak your agreement. Bleak it wherever it will pay you to do so. If necessary, let us tos*; every agreement to Hell.' "The actions of tlia old Waterside

Workers' Union in the past have been in keeping with 31 r. Ilickey's counsel, and in cnnl'ormitv with the tenets of the I.W.W.

Hie structure, functions, propaganda, and methods of the I.AV.W. and the l'Vderatiou (subject, to- modifications to suit the locality) are not only identical, but I.AV.W. speakers have' au'iresscd meetings of _ tfiq Federation in New /calami, their views have been endorsed with applause by [ho Federation, ami their adrlce to <et- law and order at clpfi.'ilico has been followed by members of unions affiliated with the Federation. Jt- is therefore impossible to distinguish whero the I.i.V.W. and the Federation diil'er. except, in iunr-.iv—ami the f.Vi'.V.'. holds as a -cardinal principle, that 'the question of right and wrung docs not concern us.' It lias more than fullilled in the "l-'mtrd Stales—the country of its origin—its threat to resort to the use of 'militant direct action tactics to thn full extent of our power to make good,' As means io its end, it urge.-, workers to turn out inferior goods, to 'slow down' at work, to tamper with machinery, to refuse, mis-send or lose shipments of goods, to lefuse all supplies to strike-bound shops, io isolate strike-breakers, to 'go to gaol en masse, causing expense to ratepayers, which are but another name for _ the class'; to resume work if defeated in a strike, but to practise sabotage 'to force employers to concede the demands of the workers.' , . y Dansorous People. "The I.W.W. teaches its followers to look: forward to the day when they will seixo by force, if necessary, the ships and railways, tramways, factories, workshops, stores, farms, and other property of employers, as such, and confiscate all private property, it is less of an industrial than a revolutionary organisation. In the United States it has prmed itself to be a wilfully dangerous organisation and menace to society at large. As such it is regarded by both the Federal and State Governments. Of the. I.W.W. operations in the Pacific States, Colonel Weinstoek, acting under instructions of the Government of California, recently made a thorough investigation and reported:— . " 'The evidence forces me to the conclusion that it is tho organised and deliberate purpose of the I.W.W. to tench ami preach and burn into the hearts and minds of its followers that they are justified I in trampling under foot their own agreements in confiscating the property of others, in disobeying tho mandates of the Courts, and in. paralysing the industries of tho naIf men and women of tho nation all wore to accept and follow these teachings, it would wake society impossible. It- would simply - mean a nation of thieves, liars, and scoudrcls.' "The experience, of employers during the past ten ye.vs with unions affiliated with the United Federation of Labour have fully jintined them in regarding that body as identical with the 1.W.W., with which it professedly has_ so much in common. With the orgar.isatiou of such a frankly hostile character the employers cannot- treat, even if there were iiow any dispute or disputes to discuss, for the reasons above, set out, and for other and equally sufficient reasons.'''