THE SOUTH AFRICAN STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1953, 9 January 1914, Page 4

THE SOUTH AFRICAN STRIKE.

The experience- of the strike which recently took place in this country wit! enable New Zealantlcrs to- appreciate the similar calamity which has now descended on South Africa. Available- details at the moment are meagre, but the picture which they ■ present in rough outline ' ia very similar to the .upheaval which . occurred in this country. While the main difference ■ is one : of magnitude it must [ be added that the conditions which obtain in South Africa make the outlook extremely disquieting. During the recent Johannesburg strike. there was ' an outbreak of lawlessness which culminated in bloodshed, and judging by the precautions which are being taken us different cities throughout the Union the possibility of similar excesses is feared in connection with the strike which has just begun. The . South African railwaymcn, according to the messages that have- come • to hand, are striking as a protest 1 against the retrenchment ordered by 1 the Union Government and against ■ arbitrary dismissals from''-the ser- '' vie.;. . On the face of it these grievances do not seem to warrant a resort to the extreme measure 'of a strike-—a mode of seeking redress ; which san-2 Labour advocates ■ throughout the world have declared should be adopted only when every other method has been tried and has proved abortive. In various parts ■ of the British Empire a section of organised Labour has fallen into the Hands of ia class of leaders whose reign of power, based as it is Hpon the folly and gullibility of -the rank and file, is a standing menace to industrial organisation and to society. In the face of such national calamities as the late- New/ Zealand strike, and the one now in progress in South Africa, we must rely' to an extent upon the sense of "social responsibility which exists in every civilised community; ,This sense does not rest only upon abstract moral considerations. It is based in great upon_ individual considerations of self-interest which ; touch every member of the " community. That section of the workers which is now gulled by the exponents and promoters of class-warfare will sooner or later learn what is well understood already by all sensible peoplo-r-fchfi'i a, wrong inflicted upon the community is a wrong inflicted upon every one of its members and that the cost of civil discord and in- < dusfcrial conflict falls nowhere more heavily than upon the- - workers. In ■ some . countries .....bitter : ' experience Eecfns to be ■: the ■' only remedy at present' available.; . for. . in-, dustrial strife, ■■ but ■ in' New'rZea-' \ land no strike is now legal until an .' honest attempt has-been madc:,to!ar- ! rive at a peaceful settlement,;, and ■ unless a majority of the workers eon- ! corned have voted in-favour of a , strike proposal at a secret ballot. ■ In \ South Africa, however, 1 ■■- the only \ strike legislation mentioned as being i in contemplation ■ is-a measure to '-. prevent strikers ■ interfering ■ with, i free workers. '.This?.very necessary. , provision has already been made iii ! New Zealand law;''.lf:-reason were' 1 likely to appeal to the.South.African. '■ railwaymcn at ~thisyunetiiro:.;:.4onc 1 might wish that their attentioir'coukl, .< bo drawn to-the splendid « results ;' that New Zealand riuhvaymenihavc* "■ attained by pursuing. '■■?_ ods. Thanks to the sane.-and.-.modei-*-: 1 : j j ate policy to which,-as a'n : :..orgariisc'd| ; body,-they ■ are ~. ! servants in this country. ; 'are steadily!'!j bettering'-. their ' position % and . ( -Hshinft wsides' : a.repiitatiou'jwhich.'isr ?f : .aJcredit|to:themselves. ; andftoflradcSjvl

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