STRIKERS IN WAR TIME

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3089, 21 May 1917, Page 4

STRIKERS IN WAR TIME

A FARMERS' UNION OPINION

By ■ Telegraph—Special Correspondent. Wanganui, May 19. At the annual provincial conference of the Taranaki Farmers' Union, the following remit was discussed:—"That the conference express sympathy with the Government in their endeavour to carry out the provisions of the Military Service Act, and also urge that the authorities be requested to deal forcibly with strikers and tlieir sympathisers." ~ , Mr. I , '. Mills, one of tho speakers, con' tended that the positiO» of organised labour was becoming intolerable. The position, as they knew it, -was not that any particular section of labour had any. grievance, but apparently they had taken advantage of their organisation to do as much as they could not merely to improve their conditions and -wages when they asked for it but to immediately afterwards set to work on some other demands, and if their new demands were not immediately granted they would strike and upset the whole of the industrial world. That sort of thing was most objectionable, and turned one against, or tended to turn one against, the whole principle.of the unions. It was really a perversion of the objects for which their unions in the first place were formed, namely, to protect the interests of workers. Furthermore, unions wore now interfering gravely with the country's industries, and the "go slow" policy was one that should be universally condemned. Surely things had come to a bad pass when these men could- take up,that attitude, illegal, of course, and directly contrary to the interests of the community. Matters had reached a deplorable state when the Government was compelled to bargain with law-breakers. "Would thciy bargain with us," eaid'the speaker, "if any of us broke the law? I think not," ho said. The only excuse tho Government had in this bargaining was that it was a matter of expediency, but was it expedient to tamper with laws in that way, iiud to encourage these men to repeat what they had done on some other occasion? Tlio whole position was Trniißlit with very groat danger, to the cqimmiiiily. Tho remit was carried.