The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 1908. A LABOR CRISIS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2141, 17 March 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 1908. A LABOR CRISIS.

“If the workers feel that they cannot get satisfaction from the Arbitration Court, they will adopt other moans. I. am sure of that,” remarked one of tho Wellington labor leaders the other day, one of tlio most temperato members of the Trades and Labor Council. “That seems to lie the general feeling throughout the colony,” lie added. “Wo have -reached a crisis in the ilabor world.” Unfortunately there is too much reason for believing that the labor representative in question accurately diagnosed the present position in the industrial world. Hero and there wo havo gratifying evidences that the workers and employers are prepared to discuss matters affecting their mutual interests, and the recent settlement arrived at between the Seamen’s Union and tlio shipping companies is a caso in point. On the other hand, there have been- many incidents of greater or less importance which, taken in the aggregate, demonstrate that the slaughtermen’s strike of last year was simply a manifestation of growing dissatisfaction on ilio part of a section of the workers with the Arbitration Act. It was a desperate attack on our system of compulsory arbitration, and it failed, although the strike in question undoubtedly caused, serious inconvenience and a -cortain -amount of loss to the particular industry directly concoined. The incident provided ample opportunity for the more rabid partisans on. the labor- side te voice their real opinions on the perennial question of tlioir relationship with employers, and over since -there have been periodical utterances by labor leaders and Socialists, showing that the disposition to challenge -the system of compulsory arbitration is daily growing. There, is abundant evidence that a big struggle is coming in our industrial.world, and tlio sane members of the community will bo hard put to it te prevent tlie partisans on either side from wrecking the system of compulsory arbitration that has worked with considerable success in the past-, and replacing it by the disastrous methods- associated with strikes. No ono who lias ever given the subject any thought can fail te deplore sucli a tendency, for strikes form the worst possible solution for any labor troublo. They dislocate trade of all kinds, bring hardship on the wives and families of the workers, and have a brutalising effect on both parties te the conflict, so -that disorder and violence follow as a natural consequence. The average New -Zealand | worker knows this, and if left to himself would always prefer to adopt a peaceable means of settling disputes with, liis employers, but- unfortunately tlio matter is not left in his hands.Tho Socialist demagogue, tlio stump orator,, who .in many cases has never been guilty of doing a hard day’s work in his life, goes from place to placo preaching his nefarious doctrines. Tho worker is told with specious logic that all wealth belongs to labor,' that, -labor and capital are -inevitably antagonistic, that the worker must under no consideration make an;/ compact,with his deadly foe, -and that if he only plays his cards right ho will sweep the capitalist from the land. This class of agitator has for some time past been poisoning the minds,of New Zealand workers by telliug.him that the Arbitration Courtis merely an instrument of the capi--talists"- giving awards in their interests. Of course, the thoughtful worker knows better, but unfortunately the- man who thinks is usually a poor talker; and if he should venture to got up at his union meeting and voice his dissent from these views, he is promptly howled down by these leather-lunged gentlemen, who use their tongues more glibly, but have no desire that reason should be listened to. As a matter of fact, the awards given from time to time by the Arbitration Court have been in the main fair and equitable to both paij-ies, and there is 110 more foundation for the insinuations that have been made than there would bo to assail tho Jedges of our Supreme Courts. In each caso perfection is obviously impossible, and injustice will sometimes occur, despite the generally high standard of our judiciary. It would ho one of tlie most unfortunate happenings that could ever overtake this Dominion if the present- peaceful methods of settling industrial disputes wero abandoned in favor of open warfare, but there is no burking the fact that such an issue will shortly haio to bo faced. It is to be honed that when the -time comes the general public will show in a most emphatic manner that they intend to insist upon their rights being respected, and will not permit either employers or employed to plunge the community into

a disastrous strike whenover it pleases some professional agitator to breed discontent amongst the men, or whenever an unscrupulous employer endeavors to sweat his workmen so that ho may increase his profits.