THROUGH FEDERATION EYES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1938, 22 December 1913, Page 6

THROUGH FEDERATION EYES.

OFFICIAL VIEW. STATEMENT BY MR. P. MICKEY. ONLY MJNKKS NCfl OUT. Mr. I*. Hiekey, secretary of tlieiFod; oration of Labour, lias ;.:iv,-n .i.ui .he following as the I'Vderation's 1 official statement of the strike; — :i .-; : " "Tho industrial battle of 1913! is" now practically over, the conference of' delegates from tho various strike centres/; together with the executive ... of 'tlio United Federation, deciding that in the interests of those most closely concerned, it was wisest to call tho stvike',off as from Saturday, December 20, for all engaged, with tho. exception of' tho. miners. So far as the miners aro 0011-4 corned, we arc but awaiting a confer-, enco with tho mine-owners and the miners' representatives to discuss matters relating to that industry. Once that conference is arranged and matters satisfactorily adjusted, the miners will, wc believe, be ready to return to work. This, iu our opinion, is but a question of days. "With regard to the struggle through which wo havo passed, we have no apologies to make or nothing to recant. Tho fight was forced upon us both by tho actions of tho employers at Huntly and Wellington. Organised Labour,'as represented by tho unions involved, has put up a magnificent struggle- against terrific odds. There is 110 doubt but

that those employers who participated in tho struggle were absolutely beaten by the organised workers. It was only by the unfair, if not unscrupulous use made by tho State of tho powers vested

in it in support of the employers that tho fight ended as it did. There is not a shadow of doubt, but that for that gross misuse of the powers of govcrn-

incnt, victory would have'been with ns. That in the tectli of the forces "arranged against us we should have fought so unitedly and whole-heartedly, demonstrates beyond cavil that the workers of New Zealand have grasped tlio significance of working-class solidarity, and that faith in themselves and in

tlioir catiso that will carry them to tho supremo heights of complete freedom and liberty wherein the forces of law and order so-called will bo controlled by the working people, and wherein 110 small group of monopolists to serve their own .selfish and soulless ends can coerce by the assistance of the armed State tlioso who create tho.wenlth upon which these social parasites exist. "Characteristic of this troublo has been the manner with which the Arbitration Act has been used as an ac-

cepted weapon of oppression. ' Tills dark stain upon our vaunted legislation, permitting* legalised scabbiM-y, must end if unionism is to be other than a tool in tho hands of; .hired Judases of tho employing class. '.Hie nearly nine weeks of the battle have been so full of incident that it is impossible to deal with but- two of the most arresting features. The two outstanding features deserving of special attention are: — t "1. Tho practical demonstration of the correctness of tho form of organisation as represented by tho United Federation. To be attacked when only four months established, and to put up the fight we did, bears eloquent .testimony in this respect. Given-a'year of uninterrupted organisation wo would be almost impregnable. "2. It has served to vividly arouse the workers. to the imperative need of active, intelligent participation as a class in the polities of the country. Hitherto that, action lms not been taken other than' spasmodically. From now on to the next election organisation and determination must bo the keynote. Let Labour at the ballotbox, where all are peers, strike an effective blow against those who would humiliate it. "The cry has resounded throughout tho columns of newspapers of this country that. 'Jted-Feddism' will lis destroyed. Tt cannot be killed. Tho spirit in its favour is a thousand times greater than ever, and that spirit grows apaen.

"Wo can but rejrrot-_tli.it we did not. secure an immediate victory. Yet we feel convinced that those thousands of callant 111011 and women, whose devotion to principle and unflagging loyalty bas been one of the most inspiring features of the whole grim struggle, will retain that spirit, and in the near future added militancy, greater determination, and a more Intelligent understanding v. ill establish a movement- that will sweep Nov,* Zealand in the interests of the Sons of Toil.

"The cinnloyers may boast of their victory. But it is at best but a hollow one. They have given the workers an education for the need of eomlilcter nmty industrially and politically . than has been the case hitherto, and the workers will loam tho lesson.

"Wo believe in the invincibility of the Labour movement; we believe in the absolute necessity of working class independence. Believing this;, and holding to it as a fundamental truth, wo, at the close of Labour's greatest battle in New Zealand, cull upon all workers to rally together, close up the ranks, each and al! being a ntoro sturdy fighter than ever 111 the arm of deliverance.''