Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THUHSDAY APRIL 19 1917 LABOR MISLED.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 April 1917, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star THUHSDAY APRIL 19 1917 LABOR MISLED.

The unrest of labor in this time of national crisis, is obtruding itself unduly and certainly unnecessarily. The telegram sent by the United Federation of Labor reads quite like a veiled ultimatum. StraDge to gay, tha subject matter is not one affecting the rights or conditions of labor, cor is the foundation of the grievance really bound up with the folk whom the United Federation nominally seeks fo support. The starting point ia that the miners are striking against tha Conscription Act. Now, miners are specially rxeropt from conscription, so that their act ; on becomes difficult to understand. B.sides, if the miners, or any one else, are opposed to the coocription clangs of the National Service Act because they pi efer voluntarism, the way is opeu to them to voluntarily enlist, iu which event the conscription clauses become a dead letter. There are military dibiriots in New Zealand where the clauses referred to are not enforced b.cauee <he men aieooiniog forward vuinutarily in sufficient numbers. Thus it will be seen how easy it ia to overcome personal ohiectioDS to conscription simp'y by volunteering. But we know that the necessity for the conscription -aw wae the lack of voluntary recruits.

The cum ry, we are amoved, ha* mads

up ha mind that it i* ; goi. g tc win tho war. Very good, wtn are essential for the badness end men must be bad, banco the necessity of ccmcnptiou to fill the blanks at the front. It is qaite unnecessary at this stage to go into the proa and cons of the case for cm. scripiion. Those points were settled when Failmment passed ihe aot &s a military necessity. Tbe presets of the war day by day evidences the necessity for enforcing the law of the land unflinchingly, unless we wish the oountry over-run by the Huns. When the United Federation of Labor approaches the Government as it has done, and infereutially threatens an Australasian strike, it throve down the gauntlet to tbe country. Who is to rule, the Parliament of the,people through its Executive, or a section—a large and influential section we admit—of the community ? Any self-

respecting oommanity, aad least o£ all a British community. can have but one answer. Loyalty, order and good government are the foundations of our national freedom. They have oost a good deal to obtain, and we are proper, d to pay tho pries to maintain them. Law and order must be maintained at all coats, and the challenge from the United Federation of Libor can provoke but one reply from the Government and the people behind them. The action of the Federation is the action of an enemy within the gate'. The Federation seeks to break down iha safe and sure government of the country, and this cannot: be tolerated To oppose the will of the Federation is to bring the couutry into internal cm fbcri Thar, wa Bnp;?o<9, is plain, but it should

not cruse this Governtaaui to de-

viate one iota from the main'enanee of the iaw at ail haz .rds—come what may. Wears probably on the eve of a great transport strike and a general upheaval. The magnitude of what has to be faced shoald not deter the authorities from doing their duty unflinchingly. It will ba a struggle no less justified than for the principles Britain ia how at war. It will not ba a struggle to ameliorate tha conditions of labor or uplift any class, but a fight to a finish as to whether mob law ia to obtain, or ordered, sane Government is to rule the land. The issues being so grave and m.._r..:nns it ia for the people to consider their position and duty. A large and representative gathering here yesterday took up a very proper attitude and openly supported the Government. It is now for tha local authorities to organise the people so as to be prepared for eventualities. If she strike which is foreshadowed is of tha dimensions which the United Labor Federation can organise, then the people mast not stand by looking on and waiting for something to turn up. There must be a clear system of district organisation of people and supplies, and a readiness ou the part of those able to do so, to serve where their labor will ba most efftetive. The country will look for a had and instruction from the Government, and the enforcement of hard aud fast conditions which will hava effect on all law breakers. Libor is allowing itse,f to be grossly misled and is going the whole wav to lose its best friend—a healthy public opinion.