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Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1937, 20 December 1913, Page 4

BACK TO WORE.

'.For' some timo past the average citizen must have found it rather difficult to believe that an. extensive strike was still in operation here and elsewhere throughout the Dominion. As a matter of fact, the strike began to wane in interest as soon as it was demonstrated that the ports of tire country would be reopened and kept open, despite all tho boasts and efforts of the Red Federation'to the contrary. Latterly, with steamers plying freely from port to port, and cargo working at the principal shipping centres as though nothing were amiss, the pretence of a hold-up of the business of the country began to assume a farcical aspect, and tlie chief interest of the public became centred in speculation as to when the men still idle would awaken to the folly of prolonging a hopeless struggle in which it was plain to everyone tliey themselves were the chief sufferers. For some days pas-t it has been currently reported, that the seamen were alive- to tho foolishness of making further sacrifices which could do no good to anyone, and it was known that oneo or twice during that time tho men were on the verge of returning to .work. Something always | cropped' up, however, to prevent them doing so until yesterday, when almost unanimously they resolved to declare the strike off as far' as they were concerned. Moreover, one of the terms of the-agreement under which they have gone back to work is registration, under the Conciliation avid Arbitration Act. The seamen now realise how badly advised they were to leave their work at the call of the Federation of Labour. They, like others, have been sacrificed to the stupidity and recklessness -of the leaders of that mischief-making organisation. If the members of tho various Labour unions will only look back over the incidents of the strike and dispassionately review the circumstances. under which the strike, were induced to come out and to continue idle long after there was any possible hope of doing any good thereby, thsy will realise tho amazing dishonesty and incapacity of most of the strike leaders, .

Wc pointed out in the early stages of the struggle that tho men were being fooled and misled by their leaders just as they ha'd been at Waihi. Time after time, when they were circulating grossly inaccurate and occasionally utterly unfounded reports concerning the progress of the strike, wc warned strikers against the folly of placing their trust in these men who were dragging thorn into difficulties and hardships, under false pretences. Even now there are some few strikers who. appear to be ready to blindly follow the leadership of these blundering fellows, and pile up more misery for themselves and their 'families. Some day they will realise how their passions have been played on and how they have been tricked and deceived by the more unscrupulous of their leaders. Tlwrc will be a heavy reckoning to settle when the Strike Bosks arc called on to explain how it is that they failed to keep the boastful promises with'which they buoyed up the hopes of their victims in order to keep them from going back to work. The seamen having returned to their ships and agreed*to register under the Arbitration Act, the' only union of any importance continuing idle is tho Miners' Union, _ The Waterside Workers' Union, which really caused the whole trouble, is a factor not worth troubling about. Many of its members have already returned to work, there .is little room on the wharves now for many more. They have delayed too long and their places have been filled. The strike is now in a state of utter collapse, and the lied Federation is again discredited. It may strive to keep out the miners a Uttle lontrer, but if it does so it will only cripple them and' itself still further, and serve no good purpose. The public are to be congratulated on the complete and utter failure o f the Red Federation to introduce into this country a system of lawlessness and terrorism which, had it not been crushed in its early stages, would most certainly have created a quite intolerable state, of' things, and most certainly led to bloodshed and serious loss of life. Tho Farmers', Citizens', and Employers' Defence Committee, whose attempts to end the trouble-'in its initial stages by conciliatory methods were rejected by the Federation of Labour, »s deserving of the thanks of the community for the manner in which it has faced and overcome a most difficult and trying situation. It made every possible effort to settle the disnutc by arbitration; it putforward most reasonable proposals as a basis of settlement, and its reasonableness was mistaken bv the Red Federation for. weakness; Then, and not tiU then, it took un an unyielding attitude so lar as the Federation of Labour was .concerned, and refused to again recognise it. It has never flinched from that attitude, despite the unfair attacks made on it, and despite the stupid attempts of professing friends who encouraged the strikers by l their'injudicious ad-

vice and suggestions. Now the action of the- Committee is generally endorsed, and the wisdom' of the stand taken is understood nnd appreciated. Legitimate Labour unionism has been strengthened;the power of Die Jkd Federation for evil has been, for the time beiiiß nt least, paralysed, avid the probability of a reasonable period of industrial peace lias, been assured. ■