The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1927. MILITANT LABOUR.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 September 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1927. MILITANT LABOUR.

Evidbnck of a desire for a light is manifested on all and sundry occasions by militant labour. The leaders seem to hold such a sway by their aggressiveness, that the rank and file fall in humbly behind and follow their leaders blindly often to the very brink of a serious catastrophe. S unething of that nature has transpired in Queensland where even a Labour Government failed to hold the militant forces in cheek. The incident has become one of Empire, if not world-wide interest, because of the sensible stand taken by the Labour Premier. It was significant that lie had immediately moral backing by the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth who spoke pointedly of the gravity of the situation were mob rule to supplant constitutional authority. Fortunatelv the Premier had strong hacking in Parliament, both by his own followers and the opposition. The latter to their credit dropped all party tooling in the matter and stood behind the Government to assist in guaranteeing the upholding of the law in a constitutional way. The extremes to which these militant forces go i.s akin from the very oiitset to civil war. They declare against the whole community by acts which affect all classes and all industries. The promises to boycott -all and sundry follows the tactics of the highwayman who demands me’s money or one’s life, at the pistol point. Whether the community be guilty or not. it has to put up to

all sorts of inconveniences ami lossc; till the strikers are able to pursue their sweet will. They <lo more than threaten, they act, and by overt act proceed to hold lip all and sundry with an extreme boycott. Peaceable folk going about their daily avocations suddenly find themselves confronted with a national problem, because of the action of those persuading their followers to hold-up the public transport, and actually defying the authorities to move the public property in the ordinary way. It is fortunate for the Labour movement as a whole that there was in authority in Queensland at such a crisis, so sane a leader as the present- Labour Premier. He foresaw the trend of the policy which would defeat and supplant constitutional authority, and riot and revolution would reign in its stead. The Queensland situation was in the main very much akin to the situation in England, some little time ago which led up to the passing of the Trade Union Act, over which there i.s much hitter feeling. However, in Queensland the “authority” for the time being is in the hands of the accredited leaders of political Labour. There can lie no cry justified against any class action in the Australian situation, when the “authority” proceeds to enforce its mandate of upholding the law of the land. It is a familiar complaint of militant Labour that it has all the civil forces as representing State “authority” against it. hut this i.s certainly not so in the Australian instance. The civil forces are directed by its own political elect, who realise what is due of them to maintain law and order. Here is an instance where all the forces of activities of the State are with th-> worker in a constitutional way. and were the militant forces not so intolerant they would realise how much there is to in hv seeking for all they demand in a constitutional way at this juncture with such a predisposed court of administration lo consider their Teuresentatlrg’s. Ovvl

sense promises to nrerni'l ib Hiland in the end fo r hear of a rift in tbe ranks of tlv> strikers. Tt will bo well for tbe future of Labour-that it is so. for above all thincs sanfiy pf

action is needful ii Labour ideals are to he achieved.