WHAT THE ALLIANCE OF LABOR MEANS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 April 1922, Page 4

WHAT THE ALLIANCE OF LABOR MEANS.

PEACE OR WAR

THE END-CLASS DICTATORSHIP

In our previous articles on the above “Alliaiiee” we pointed out that it is an attempt to form a 'Labour Trust to control' the whole of the industrial labour of New Zealand. Its declared objective is definitely 'revolutionary, as it aims at abolishing'private ownership and control of all industries and substituting collective ownership under control of “the workers who operate them.” Whilst the ‘‘Alliance” has an objective even more on the lines of communism than the old Red Federation it replaced, its policy and tactics are not the same as the Reds adopted previously. From careful reading of the “Alliance Constitution and study of the organisation’s movements it is made clear that it does not mean to spend its resources on a strike policy as the old Red led combination did. The difference in policy and tactics of this One Big Trust from what has gone before we find is misleading much of the press, most of the public and even a large number of workers who are at present upholding the Alliance.

NOT A. “STRIKE” BODY, BUT— Mr H. E. Combs, Secretary Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association, in pleading for the Alliance urges that it is not a “strike” body. That is true in the sense that it does not encourage either sectional or general strikes at present. As a matter of tactics it deprecates such outbursts for the reason that it wants all its departments perfected before taking action, and it knows that strikes now would hinder its ambitions plan of a gigantic combination. The critics who are looking for this “Alliance” to foment, or uphold, some big strike are wrong—it lias no such purpose. On the other hand those who think the Alliance is honest ly for industrial peace and stability are also wrong for its objective is a declaration of war against all industrial employers, including the Government and .Municipalities.

The policy of this “One Big Trust” is the same as that employed by the German junkers prior to the great upheaval in 1914. It is inspired by the same spirit of cunning and plausible deceit. As Germany made great professions of peacefulness and high principle, whilst all the time it was enlarging and strengthening its forces for “the day,” which it thought would be one of complete triumph, just so> is the N.Z. Alliance of Labour following the course of peaceful penetration and meantime consolidating its strength in view of the day when it hopes to put its communistic objective into effect. Peace for the ultimate object of war is the industrial policy of this socialistic combine.

PLAINLY CLASS DICTATORSHIP. When this Alliance states that its objective is:—‘The collective ownership of the means of production and distribution, and control of all industries by the workers who operate them” many who read it will be disposed to say “Ob, that is only the usual hot air stuff. They only mean it in an academic sense.” It is just that kind of supine and stupid assumption that constitutes our gravest danger. The Alliance advocates do not mean to put il into actual effect. Preceding even the above objective their Constitution declares for “the organisation of the wage workers of New Zealand on the lines of class and industry.” Already Hie Trust has a membership of over 40,1k)>). It lias a big pull over the organisations of some of the principal industries of the country, such as mining, shipping, railways, meat works, tramways and others. In addition the idea of working class control of industries is widely spread amongst the members of many Unions not yet affiliated to the Alliance and is even held by a considerable body of Civil Servants. What has to bo faced is that the neuclas ol a great Labour Trust to control all the industries of the Dominion is now in existence backed by an extensive and continuous propaganda throughout all departments of the State. The movement afoot is for the establishment of a class dictatorship to which one political party is lending all its assistance. It is not scare beads the Welfare League is presenting but a plain statement of facts. Movements towards Bolshevism have appeared in Great Britain, South Africa and other parts of the Empire. Behind the veil of pretence the “Alliance” here, with its aim for One Big Labour Trust, is the same class movement towards class dictatorship. Revolutionary and disruptive in its purpose as it is there is a clear duty upon all loyal citizens to fight this worst of monopolies wherever it appears. (Contributed by the N.Z. Welfare League).