FRIENDS AND ENEMIES OF LABOR.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 November 1925, Page 4

FRIENDS AND ENEMIES OF LABOR.

BY “X.” Perhaps one of the most cnduiing monuments to the memory of the late .Mr Seddon is the Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and the various other measures known as the Liberal-Labor legislation. This was built on sound foundations, has stood the test of time and after the lapse of all the years which have gone by since these laws came into force neither responsible employers or responsible labor unionists would seriously consider their aboli-

tion. The late Air Seddon clearly realised that the main principle of labor unionism was “collective bargaining,” and he provided that a bargain once made as between workers and employers should be binding on both sides. lie piotitled that any breach ol such bargain should become a breach of award, and consequently a breach of law. Possibly the provisions for enforcing the law were, and are yet inadequate, but the principle has been clearly laid down in the majority of cases by both sides. Had similar legislation been in I nice in Britain wo would not have been faced with the deplorable spectacle ol the present —or -shall we say past shipping strike. The British shipowner. and seamen realizing the serious difficulties facing the shipping trade, evolved between them in the Maritime Board what was practically a combination ~f n Conciliation Council and Arbitration Court hut which unfortunately had not the hacking of a court ol law behind it. Nevertheless for some years it has functioned well as responsible representatives were appointed. At various conferences at which over ninety per cent of the seamen and practically all the shipowners were represented. conditions were considered and wages fixed from time to time. The only difference as between this and our arbitration system was that the contracts were not made binding m law as the late .Mr Seddon in his wisdom saw fit to do in New Zealand. Nevertheless with honesty and straight dealing on either side, the machinery provided was unite ellieient and no doubt would later on have been made applicable to other industries. Air Havelock Wilson and his colleagues no doubt made the very best terms possible for the men and their action was not repudiated By tile unions they represented. But a certain section of the seamen under some sinister Communistic inlluence went hack on their union and its representatives, refused to recognise the article they had signed when shipping, and in tilt irresponsible and unprincipled manner, by an unauthorised strike stuck up all British shipping in overseas ports, striking a deadly blow at the very heart of the British Empire. !'\,r a time it was hope*! that the action was simply that of a few irreponsthle youngsters. and that wiser counsels would prevail and the crews return to their ships. But it was soon evident that all the wise counsel was coming front the other side of the world, and was not forthcoming so tar as the New Zealand political labor leaders were concerned ; also it was very clearly shown at a Coutorence as called by the Premier that the strikers were not free agents and the wince strike was being engineered from some outside source. Finally in desperation and to minimize a financial disaster (o Now Zealand the ships had to la* sent to sea with our own boys—sons ol business men, tanners, college students, ami our gaols are now tilled with hundreds of undesirables who have practically dumped themselves into New Zealand.

Now it is quite evident that, labor generally in New Zealand had no sympathy with the strike. Some of the miions expressed themselves very clearly on the point, and every labor unionist must have known the strike could only - being based on repudiation of contract lend to bring unionism into contcin.pt. The people ot New Zealand are therefore justified in asking where ulmt i-- known as "political labor” in Now Zealand stands. Is it a Iricnd of labor unioqistn or an enemy That there are deadly enemies not diilv of labor, but of the Empire within the labor ranks is very well known, and known fortunately to some of the responsible labor leaders. The avowed intention of the Communist Bolshevik organisation to “white-ant” the unions and eventually destroy them f coin within is being so cleverly carried old that il would take a Sherlock Holmes to unmask some ot the Communist traitors posing as friends of labor.

Some time since, when (here was a split in the Queensland Cabinet as liet.wceti the extremists and moderates, Hie Acting Premier Mr Theodore addressing a labor meeting said there was evidently In the Labor movement an exotic growth that, if permitted to remain would destroy the movement and render ineffective Hie splendid work of a quarter of a century. He referred to the poison known as LAY.W.-ism. Great advantage to the workers laid lit-eii won by evolutionary means, but now these traitors to the class preached revolution, with or without, bloodshed, and were endeavouring to embroil the Labor union movements in that foolhardy policy. They were prepared to throw over arbitration awards.

. J.W.AV.-ites were the worst enemies of Labor. Cnionisni would bn destroyed unless the Lnborilcs resisted the encroachment of Iho foreign element and maintained that discipline without which the great object of the Labour movement was impossible of ti t tninment.

In tut article itt the "Weekly Dispatch" Mr Thomas, Labor AI.P., says: “The Communist peril is eren more acute than it was six months ago. I.aboritos arc lighting the Communists because they are convinced that the application of the Initor's policy would destroy llritain and itriiish institutions. They also believe that the Communists sinister methods, if employed hv the trades unions, would ruin the workers’ cause, and do incalculable harm ill every industrial dispute. We must Mtinsh the Reds or they will smash us." The lirst duty ol any Government returned to power in New Zealand will lie to watch carefully the spread of Communism —in all its various forms—in >7ow Zealand. The task will he a difficult one but so far as Labor is concerned there are a few tests which will always be effective in detecting friends from enemies. Any man who sanctions or condones breach of contract, job control, the go-slow policy, the one big union scheme, repudiation of debts, or confiscation of property either by I lie State or individual. Any man or party of men who constantly endeavor to stir up strife by talking about the iniquities of the i! capitalist system ” who stale there is nothing in common as between the employer and employee, as all employers are " exploiters ” and all employees "exploited.’’ These men are working against the best interests of Labor. They may be traitors, or may be merely dupes, but in eithet case are a menace not only io Labor, but to the country and the Empire.