THE STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1934, 17 December 1913, Page 6

THE STRIKE.

■ ■ The'public generally hardly ap-. pear to trouble about the strike just now, so well arc the various services dislocated by the action of the watersiders and the Federation of Labour being carried out. The Red Federation delegates, who.arc supposed to be conferring upon strike matters, have endeavoured to shroud their proceedings in mystery, but they have managed also to create a good deal .of uneasiness amongst their, own followers who avo said to hive been kept in complete ignorance of what has : .been happening,-. The • impression is very generally ■ hold that the Conference, is merely another .."bhtjT,'.' and that if will lead to .nothing.' The outstanding feature of the situation at the moment is the widespread desire on the part of the 'nien-to'get back to work. They cannot understand why tliciv leaders want ..to:'prevent them earning the money... they and their ■ families'...so .badly-' "need, /Jyhen'-" it .is,-, plalii' to everyone that' no good can be done by 'continuing.idle. The disinclination ; of-the men'to'continue a - useless ■struggle; is said, to'-havc/cnuscd serious breaches. ■.ranks'■ 0f;... the' strikers,'-'and lastocvening a v: .rumou! - ' .was' 1 current that, a 1 wholesale brcak-' awn.v .'-was', probable." There' is, 'no. c'ouh t',' : ' ■" so me'fg r'o un d '"' for: believing ■thatii/something ,-of . the.■ kind.;;; may happen,.,,'. Signs are not wanling._th.fifc 'the hiorcM'ensonnbla'-element is bc:ginninfe.to makc...its'-iiifluencc;felt;

;iiii%iliat''tlio'-common'-se'nsc views of'. fUi;;Kniiji;c;J]pvcl : hoiHk(!. : : meii arc ra- ; :'wi i ving?isr , ,cal:ei , ' i attention .than hith-,i;i-tii:*Vflifi, r Kc:i]!icn, .who -were drnggcd/iiiti! the/'struggle, wilhnut any possible chance of securing any benc.lit', whij'jJinvu. been needlessly called-Uni;- to'-'suffer' heavy loss and im'iicli have good ground- ; of.'ffi'ievanee against the, Rod Federation. Unfortunately the secretary of the Wellington Branch of t.heiv_ Union is President of Hie Federation, and they have thus been plated in an awkward position, as lie presumably is pledged to the Federation,, while at the same time the paid servant of the Union, which is not affiliated to the Federation. It is possible that the seamen may rise to the occasion and take the management of their affairs into their own. hands. Should they do so and decide,that no good purpose can ■be served by prolonging a struggle .'which . is. injuring so many fellow they will find their action ;.endorscd. : ;bv,the majority of the men ;oiit:;bf^ : o"idc;i?i*.