A GIGANTIC BLUFF

Hokitika Guardian, 13 November 1928, Page 2

A GIGANTIC BLUFF

(By X.) ( Your readers may wonder why I have in these pre-election contributions been so careful over definitions of names—and tho meaning of names—of political parties. My main reason is that the word “Labor” has been used as a. gigantic bluff by those who had no earthly right or authority to use it in a political sense. Thousands of workers have nothing in common with the Socialist Government propaganda of Messrs Holland', Semple and Fraser, nothing to do with the I.W.W. or the lied Federation, and would consider it an insult to their intelligence to he identified with the programme submit-

f ted to the electors in the name of ij “Labor.” Workers are of all shades r of political opinion—from Conservative to Communist. Probably the wealthier j people, be they workers or not (and many are very hard workers) are more inclined to the Conservative simply because they have more to conserve. But the most conservative capitalist is : otjten the working man, the wage J earner whose few possessions liavo been paid for out of his earnings, and’ who has perhaps a few pounds put by, : “for a rainy day.”' This class is representative of thousands of hard-v working, thrifty independent men and I women. The savings bank returns year by year show what a large sec- | tion of the community it really represents. These are all workers—likewise small capitalists—and would be the first to resent any socialistic-communistic interference with their rights as pro-

perty owners. They are likewise justiJi.nL in resenting any classification which would merge them with labor agitators and extremists whose outlook on life and its responsibilities is entirely different. 1 have shown that only about seven per cent, of the population of New Zealand is organised or “Unionist” Labor. This is all the vaunted Labour organisation could possibly claim to represent, and as it will have been' noted that Labour candidates are mostly nominated by union secretaries or officials the claim may to some extent he granted. But it is only the i.uore militant section of unionists who lit. dust rial ly arc always (looking for trenble who politically have communistic Bolshevik learnings, which could in .any way be identified with the Labour propaganda. Now this section is for the most part found amongst

i the semi-skilled, unskilled and casual workers, tlie general laborers, wharf laborers, lirenien and others. If all i unionist labor represents only seven per | cent of the population, probably tlie ' militant section only represents two j per cent., and it is only the militant I section of labor which the labjor proi gramme really represents- that is if 'the programme were taken in its entirety and not covered up with the cloak of Liberalism. i Xow the workers of New Zealand probably represent some 7~> per cent. | of the population, so when a political party takes the name of ‘‘Labour” when it only represents at best a small ! section of the workers, it is necessary .to challenge this right.. Unionist Laj hour has no more right to call itse'f ! Lalior than a veterinary surgeon would ! have to call himself a surgeon. The real necessity for challenging the

name, however, is that the policy of the leaders is to promote “class consciousness'’ and set class against class—particularly the workers against the capitalists. These are deplorable tactics at best, as all classes in a community should work together in the interests of the community as a whole. But the classes must be defined before they can bo separated, and it would be a task of sonic difficulty to separate worker from capitalist in New Zealand. The attempt of .Mr Holland and his party to speak with the voice of laIsir shows what a birr noise can he made with a small diaphram. It recalls tho seven historic tailors of Tooloy Street, who headed a petition to Parliament, ' \Ve, the British Nation.”

The fact is the whole demand of ° few extremists that a separate political party should he set up in the name of “Labor” is really a gigantic bluff.

j All that lias been done for tlie worker • lias been done by the Liberal party, of | which certain representatives of labor ; unionism will probably always be fortn;ed as a radical wing. If these Radicals. Socialists or Communists ever obtained control of the country it would be' so disastrous that the goad sense of the people as a whole will see that the experiment is never made. The issue before the electors this week is a clear one. and those who are in douht as to how the result will go can take comfort. from the saying of the late Mr Soddon and his predecessor. Mr Balia nro, “Trust the People.”