THE BLACKBALL STRIKE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2193, 18 May 1908, Page 2

THE BLACKBALL STRIKE.

CODIIDKENT BY A LAB'ORITE.

(Special to “Times.”) - WELLINGTON, Dlay 16. The following letter, in view ot the fact that it is from the pen oi Dir D. McLaren, secretary of the local Waterside Workers’ Union (published iii to-nights’ paper), will be read with some interest at the present juncture. The Hon. J. A. Millar refers to the recent strike, as having brought out two facts, but it appears to me that the conflict has brought to light several facts which should " receive consideration. The most glaring fact, of all is the fully demonstrated weakness of the Government under trial, and the next out-standing fact is that coercion cannot work either in a scheme of conciliation, or arbitration. When Dir Dlillar’s amending bill was before the country last session, the trades union representatives told the Government in uo„uncertain terms, that the application of coercive means would not evoke, or increase confidence in the Arbitration Act or its administration. It wanted a demonstration to teacli this lesson, and it was given, yet now the Dlinister, taking his cue from the Employers Federation, talks of more amendments on coercive lines. “The Government will make provision to prevent aiding and abetting in the future,” so says the lion, gentleman. It is highly amusing to read this utterance of a man who, from his experience in the past, should know better; a man who came into prominence on the wave of a great strike, and who should know, if he is ever to learn anything, that reasoning and not the application of force and still more force, is the best means of allaying the working class upheavals. Let us face the fact that instead of a strike of a single union (the Blackball case), there can eventuate a New Zealand strike, involving thousands, and the utter futility or coercive measures is at once apparent. The trades unionists do not want strikes, hut they do want conciliation antf'fir'bitration on fair and reasonable lines and not the game of political bluffs and childish autocracy, which Dir Millar and others would present us .with and expect us to accept, just because they name it “peace, blessed peace.” Can there be a law passed preventing any number of unions from feeding the wives and children of men who may be out on strike, or could such a law be enforced? df the Government answers clie.se questions by affirmative enactments, then they are up against the. most drastic of all revolutionary propositions, “that the Government may dictate to its citizens liow, and in •viiat manner, they shall dispose of -heir personal property.” Wlmt a wide field for the exploitation of private capital, and Dir Dlassey might •veil exclaim, “Oh, those wicked Socialists, tlioGovenmient party.” Dly idea of a rational system of conciliation and arbitration, is tlie providing of tlie most perfect machinery for bringing the dispunnts together in jonlcrence, enabling the fullest investigations to bo mado by independent adjudicators and applying the moodiest inethods for conciliation possible, in the treatment of miners differences, and the minimising of force when the parties are disposed to reject the submitted terms of settlement. 1 regard the Arbitration Act, as an appeal from force to reason, and as means of preventing acute conflicts arising, and I think the * tidiest attention should be given to the perfecting of the legislature maclnnerv for effecting these ends. The pi esc lit Dlinister of Labor appears to me to have got no further than tlie ruling idea of the Conservatives and Liberal Unionists in England, “is there trouble in Ireland, more coercion and still more coercion.” If the Minister is in earnest let him bring in a straight-out anti-strike law, with hues and imprisonment for all who dare to think of striking, and let him put it to the country at the coming general election. Like in the days of old, of the 1890 strike, the same man " ill d 0 naughty things, hut it is the children’s' games over again. “This year, next year,' sonic time, never ” l am. etc.