TRADE UNION LEADERS

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 6, 2 October 1943, Page 6

TRADE UNION LEADERS

Mr. F. P. Walsh Replies To Criticism POLITICAL ISSUE “Because of the attacks made, on the trade union movement by the Nationalists during the election campaign it appears necessary to express the views on this point of an organization which represents 38,000 workers,” says a statement issued by Mr. F. P. Walsh, president of the Wellington Trades Council of the New Zealand Federation of Labour. “Mr. Holland’s attack on the trade union loaders reveals that he is fundamentally opposed to industrial unionism. Like his political ancestors throughout the past, century Mr. Holland would be delighted with a leaderless trade union movement. The Nationalists, like all Tories of the past, hate the leaders of trade unions because the. activities of tliose leaders, and their insistence on faitplay for the workers, disturb the tranquility of those who enjoy easy profits and big dividends from organized business. . , “Members of trade unions throughout the country have had to put up with a great deaf of abuse of their leaders, whom the Nationalists term ‘Labour bosses.’ That Nationalist attitude was also adopted by the Lee Party. They side-stepped the fact that the trade union movement, by reason of its constitution, rules, and love of liberty, has no dictators. Its leaders are elected annually on democratic principles. “What the trades union movement has accomplished on behalf of the workers and the people as a whole not only in ameliorating labour conditions, but in social services generally, is appreciated by everybody. But we realize that a victory of the Fascist Powers in the present war would destroy all that has been achieved, and we are wholeheartedly behind the Government in its administration of the war effort of the Dominion. Relation to War Effort

“Yet the attitude taken up by the Nationalists during the election has been definitely damaging to that, war effort. For political gain and to help the employing class the Nationalists advocated a reduced military effort. To catch a lew votes they set out to capitalize on the furlough draft, regardless of the fact thatthe course they advocated would have jeopardized the chances of any further men being granted a well-earned holiday in New Zealand. “The Nationalists/ also attempted to weaken New Zealand’s war effort on the home front. They attacked every law and every provision for maintaining full efficiency in defence and in military training for'overseas. They endeavoured to turn people’s wartime sacrifices, and wartime shortages of commodities, and inevitable wartime inconveniences into political grievances. “They tried to convince the people that they would be better off if all the measures for their protection against wartime difficulties were removed. They advocated that prices should be left to the will of private enterprise, and that nothing should be protected except the old Tory privilege of grabbing all the good things of life. In all of these actions the Nationalists sapped the morale of the nation.

“Another enemy of our war effort was the doctrine that the war could be paid for without any cost to the people of the country. The people showed by their votes that they are not so gullible as the glib but muddle-headed apostles of easy money who contested the election. The people of New Zealand showed that they have a true understanding of the fact that the war has to be paid for by ourselves, out of the goods and services that we produce, and that no jugglery can avoid it.

“The workers of New Zealand are, therefore, determined to work wholeheartedly to increase their production and thus do all that is in their power toward achieving victory. “They are. convinced also that the industrial conditions under which they can do their best are only possible under the Labour Government. “The whole of organized industrial labour, therefore, gives its pledge that it will continue to work to its utmost to increase the production of the Dominion, and to support the Labour Government in its policy of carrying on the war without any relaxation, and at the same time maintaining the highest possible standard of living in fair play to all sections of the community.”