AFTER THE STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1942, 27 December 1913, Page 10

AFTER THE STRIKE.

It Mould impmvo the town in .every way, and- tlio train would be out of tlm wnv of the tranienrs there is so much ,talk about. Mr. Editor, if you can find room in your valuable paper for the above you will oblino ONE THAT HAS PROPERTY IX THE TOWN. PalruerstoA Noitli, December 20,1913.

Sir,—ln reply to your correspondent "Cosmopolitan," "a lot has .been said," and a. lot moro lias to be done as well as said on "this' important subject." What "Cosmopolitan" moans by "pi'aiso of volunteers, freo labour, sproial police, ofc.," I don't know, but venture, to suggest that every right-thinking person Will jfdmit that the "specials" were an absoluto necessity, in view of the wild talk and threats of those responsible for tho strike. But was there any "free" labour? (in tho sense usually applied). Is is not a fact that -before any man was allowed to work oil tho wharf, -ho beeaino a member of tho new Arbitration tfawn,'j and if "Cosmopolitan" worked on tho wharf, he should bo a financial member of tho new union, awl I would advise him to read tho rules, in his spare time, if he has any? "Cosmopolitan" suggests "that now the trouble is over" those who went to work in tho early days of the strike should go home, and he very gencrousjy offers to "Rive his placo to anyone jn need." This brings to my mind an incident that occurred in my old volunteering days. A man was placed on sentry duty, and he got tired, and said to one oT his mates: "Hero, take my rifle and. do my job; I'm tired." "Cosmopolitan" and the tired sentry tuay bo typical. What would happen"if "the whole battalion of _ the new watersides got that tired feeling, eh, "Cosmopolitan"? Perhaps "Cosmopolitan" has already turned over his job owing to the tired feeling,laud does not know the happenings on the wharf during tho first tltrceI. days of this week. Just so so soon as tho strike was "declared off" tho I wharves were swarmed bv members of the old "Waterside Workers' "Union, a lot of them willing and ready for work, and tho writer can imagine just howhard it would be for them to work with men who were now hands. But they did it, and in move than one case went out of their way to show the new hands easier and better ways of handling cargo. On the other hand, a lot started work (?) apparently with no other motive, than causing trouble, and using abusive tanguago: "Scabs" (with ail adjective), etc. I doivt think for a moment that the majority of the members of tho old union give this even their tolerance, and it needs to be suppressed, aild that at once, and these men. advised to look elsewhere for work. Amongst tho members of the new union who joined prior to December S are a lot of (?) who need weeding out. I suggest, Mr. Editor, that a small committee of financial members of the new union, drawn from old and new workers, lie set up with a view to making some fair and amicable working arrangement. I am, etc. HONEST TOIL. December 26.