TOPICS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 33, 8 February 1913, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY

At last the people can see a little of "United LabSocialist, Syndicalist, our's" mind in and Labour Union, relation to the . recent Social-ist-Labour Conference, and it is apparent that the so-called "Evolutionaries" hope to have a working alliance with the "Revolutionaries" in' affairs industrial and political. We invite our readera to again study a paragraph published in yesterday's Post. "At the suggestion of the Wellington Branch of tho United Labour Party the management committee of the district council has been constituted a committee to approach the present Unity Congress Subcommittee and other bodies, with a view to co•opevfttion to make successful the campaign at the approaching municipal elections. Tins action was decided on at last night's meeting of the Trades Couh* oil. That Uhity Congress anb-com* mittee comprises men who favour a United Federation of Labour and a Social Democratic Party on -a Red bocialist basis. The personnel includes the following Red Federationists ;*- Messrs. R. Semple (organiser), R S. Ross (editor of the Maoriland Worker), X H. Hickey, i\ Fraser, P. C. Webb, W. ii. Pftjjjyj Socialist Paitvj, £hi H. J£. j

Hollahd } United Labour, Messrs. W. T. Mills (organiser), E. Tregear, \V. T. Young. Whethpr the unions linked up with, the United Labour Party ultimately favour tho proposed ultra-Socialist regime or not the Unity Congress Committee comprises men who have voted for "El Dorado, by the All-Red route," &s we have already explained. _ This frankly Socialist Committee h being approached by "Labour" (now a, very mysterious word) i'or aid in tho no.Nt municipal elections, at tho end of April. What are the "other bodies" whose ansistance is to be sought? We can imagine only two— the Socialist Party and the Land Values League (the old Single-Tax League with ti new name). Also if any "Industrial Workers of the World" happen to be eligible tn vote, they will be expected to "get into line" With "tho other Socialist forces for tho "Labour ticket," which promises also to be the "Socialist ticket." The Unity Congress Committee is working for the objective of the late conference, Which is to effect a domination by "the twin forces of Syndicalism and Socialism," according to the comment of the Maoriland Worker, which has been appointed the official organ of the Socialist fusion senehie. Therefore, on present appearances, the "Labour ticket" for the municipal elections is Red. "Labour 11 can look for .Socialist support, but need not expect tho BUppovt of people who do not yearn for subjection to allies of the Red Federatiohists.

Under the heading "An Anti' Reform Move's Nest," tho newsNot a paper Dominion recently Mare's Nest, attacked those who, in the public interest, had drawn attention to the danger that, under Mr. Massey's Land Act, the Crown, ih granting the freehold of mineral-bearing leases-in-perpetuity. is parting with the coal for nothing, What was meant for ridicule vcas cast upon thia paper and other finders of the alleged, "mare's nest"; yet to-day a notable legal authority} Mr. T. F. Martin, pronounces that the law has been correctly interpreted not by the Prime Minister but hy his opponents. Will the paper referred to have the temerity to say that a legal proposition, backed by such an expert in the land laws, is a "mare's nest"? The same paper, referring to our quotation in yesterday's issue of the report of the Crown Law Office (which the Prime Minister would not allow us to see), writes:— "Our evening contemporary , . . cart* doubt upon the truthfulness of Mr. Massey'n reference to the report." further, the Evening Post is accused that it did "impugn Mr. Massey'u candour." Now, here is what we actually did. say i-~ "As we have been unable to obt*in permission to peruse the report of the Grown Law Office, we are unable to criticise it or submit it to tM. We are assured by the Prime Minister that tha following is the effect of it, etc. I'he above excerpts speak for themselves,