LABOUR EXTREMISTS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 46, 18 November 1919, Page 8

LABOUR EXTREMISTS

THE POLICY OP DISASTER. Condemnation of tho Labour extremists was a feature of the speech mado by Mr. 11. A. Wright, iM.P., at Karori last Jiiffht. Mr. Wright si id thoro was a danger that h group of ten or a dozen Labour members would hold the balance of power in llie new Parliament.'' We hoped that neither of the older parties would consent In support a Government that was dependent for its majority 011 the votes ; of revolutionary Socialists. If Labour 1 extremists sliouli hold the balance of ■ power as between the Reformers and tho j Liberals in the new House, it would be 1 the duty of the sensible and reasonable 1 members" of the House to come together 1 and create a solid national party for the good of the people. (Applause.) "I have no quarrel with moderate Labour and 110 criticism to level at it." said Mr. Wright. "I recognise that moderate Labour, by which.l understand' Labour that works 011 constitutional lines, has as much right as any other group to form a party and endeavour to control the destinies of New Zealand. I am reterring to the section of Labour which realises that reforms should he brought about by evolution and not by revolution, liut there, is a difference between moderate Labour and the Labour extremists. I say that it is a most unreasonable thing to talk of bringing about reforms by revolution in this country, where every citizen has a vote, where the vote of the man otj wealth is worth 110 more than the vote of the poorest individual, ami where the right to rule rests ill the liands of any party that is supported by a majority of the people. '"The extreme Labour men of this country have adopted the I.W.W. policy, and that is a policy that spells disaster to any countrv where it is put into operation. The I.W.W. policy was brought here from America, but I be.ieve that it came originally from Germany. I believe that the I.W.W. is a German organisation pure and simple, and that its original object was to injure the industries of every country except Germany. The I.W.W. leaders instruct their followers to go slow, to do as little work as possible, and to hamper industry and injure machinery. They tell their followers tliat by these tactics they ..will make tho owner and employer sick and tired of tho whole thing, and prepare tho way for the workers to take possession. Be--Iv.ihl this there is much more. It will readily be seen that the policy advocated by the J.W.W. leaders and by somo of the Labour men in this country will spoil disaster to any country where it' is put into operation." Mr. Wright read a circular that had been distributed 011 tho Wellington Avharves, urging workers to "go dead slow," to produce as little as possible, and to aim at the wrecking of the present organisation of industry. This was a policy that could produce nothing but disaster. The "go-slow" policy, added ' Mr. AVright.'was stated by its supporters to'be a blow at the "fat man," or tho employer. But as a matter of fact the policy struck its chief blow at the workors. Who suffered most from tho shortage of coal? The well-to-do people or the workers? Who paid if loss was inflicted by the workers on a shipping company? The people paid, sinco the company simply increased its charges. If the" workers imposed increased charges 011 a merchant by "going slow," the merchant simply passed the burden along. The policy of the I.W.W. party had been carried to its logical resir.t in Russia. Bolshevism had ruined Russia. Thopeople had seized the means of production, manufacture, and exchange. Now nobody in Russia, would produce oiwork, and the nation was starving. He did not believe that the sane workers of Now Zealand were going to countenance a policy of that kind. But 110 would remind the electors that one of the Labour members of the House had declared that, sane Labour candidates "ought to be in Porirua." That was tho attitude of a Labour member towards the men who wanted const'tutional progress' and not revolution. The Labour leaders described pane Labour inoiv as "twisters' -niici "raft." Jt had been claimed on behalf of the Labour Party that its candidates were, not all extremists, but as a matter of fact the name? of all the Labour candidates for the Wellington electorates were to be found on leaflets which ridiculed and condemned sane Labour.