SYNDICALISM V. THE STATE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1959, 16 January 1914, Page 6

SYNDICALISM V. THE STATE.

'• THE'vig6rbus i "action" of : the Government of:, South Africa, and its well-planned measures to cope with the revolutionary, attitude of the militant.section of the strikers, appears to.be exercising a restraining influence on those-who arc bent on establishing a' reisn of terror.. The position has developed into a struggle betwecn-;thc State and Syndicalism, and,.,. , as-/the Transvaal Lender states, ■ the . decks have now boon cleared, for. action, "and the only hope remaining is that it will be fought to a final and : conclusive issue." This puts the matter in a somewhat' , relentless.,and uncompromising manner; but when a. reckless and aggressive minority declare war on the community,., and endeavour to force the general . public to its knees, any Government worthy of the name must employ all the- power at its"disposal to deal, promptly and effectively with the situation. If a State is not strong enough to maintain law and order;.within its borders'ittho result must/ be. anarchy and terrorism., , .-When j'the constituted authorities , Vare. openly..defied,...when dvnamite""and^btncr i : .'outragcs take place, when industry. !is, disorganised, and an attempt ..■■is..made to starve and intimidate those .'.who are willing to assist, in; the protection of life and property, half-hearted measures are worse, than;useless, and.it. would be disastroHS.-.for.: i the> \authorities ■to show .any :,_j'sigii-~. of. weakness ,or vacHlation.'The: misguided follower? of-the glib-tongued ,, demagogues will no' , doubt learnari-./timc-in the hard school of experience''that real liberty and "'justice';'cannot;-live,- apart from law; ■.thatj': : anarchy^means the ? force : ;S'and2ihat ! : wlien cVcryJinaii? becomes! !tlic'*'weak' , mustviineyitablyJgo.Ho';'thf! ; walU l.TlnsUsJ.oneX.gfithe/'plainest; ; lessons'or SS<2#£;.; j

$;jfhcjs: besbifneiidsftofVllJ/ibbiiijiare' , Swell ;nttcr"j.:fiitility.||.of fdustriali#(lisputes;'Sy : Uhe^REV^-R;;;^;v'.CAMPMU^. I j\-hp,Hs*'a ■,istr.ong;.';s.yi»pa_thiseir :^wit i h'. thei Labour Hliei^nb'ißatio'nsJto^.theiCpmmunity ,

■jnuTthe"interests'.of the He' ■wont-.on to say that' ■■■ '.-■■ ; ; ,'•%''" .vj?Ht*li;ul--become- Hie. fashion- to ■ iiisuli. ■and ili'l.v iiovcniiiieiil-iiiKi lo tot the sojil-i eiH'fs- of Courts--«i"-Justice 'at' iinujjlit;'; lie. could iinngine.no worse thing for. :m.r country' (him Unit -these tendencies 'should ,, gainst lie.- ■ npiior hand.-.- There was :m> (he workers to , use violence? to': gain:- (heir ends; practically, overy ndnlf niale'-.lind the vote. . Strikes were futile' .19 a, method of securing, the rights, of .underpaid worker?. . They were rt niiwl, wnstotiil expenditure of life and c-juirsy. Had uot thfltimo come when.tho. whole of organised society must fitep in - and say to industrial- disiiutants-. "We can-, iiot oft'oril to let yon fifibt; we are vitally. involved in this issue as well as you; wo insist that you shall come to forms'at once; .we shall dictate those terms and enforce them, too, with the whole weight of the niorni unit material resources of Ihe body politic." In the jjast Govern' tuent had -suppressed local territorial feuds and quarrels and personal disputes because they were inimical to tbo community as a whole. We wanted that now i)i the industrial field, and must have it. The tnio jodge and (livider in industrial disputes was tho nation in its corporate senssj the arbiter in every cn.«a was publie opinion, made operative throiißh tho centralised executive of (be. State.

. The- right of the community to a voice in the settlement of industrial troubles, as advocated by Mb, Campbell, has been recognised in New Zealand by the Labour Disputes investigation Act, which was passed last session, and it is quite possible that the present crisis ( in South Africa will lead to similar legislation in that country. However that may be, it is quite certain that the immediate duty of the Government is to demonstrate beyond possibility of doubt that the State is able to enforce its authority, ■ and that lawlessness will be rigorously suppressed. ■ It must always be remembered that the strikers arc not resisting some oppressive tyranny, but that they are fighting against a democratic Government which has received its power and authority from- the people themsclyes. They may be suffering wrongs that ought to be righted, but no one who has any real faith in democracy can consistently show any sympathy what-, ever for the Syndicalist methods now. being adopted by the Sonth African social wreckers, however sorry one may be for the deluded rank and file, who, in the words of the Johannesburg M:{iil, "have been forced into co-operation in achieving their own ruin and shattering their own ideals." Fortunately, the Government seems to be master of the situation, and though the struggle may be a sharp one, the forces of law and order arc bound to prevail.