Baffled Individualism

Industrial Unionist, Volume 1, Issue 3, 1 April 1913, Page 2

Baffled Individ ualism

Under the heading “ Sectionalism Must Go,” the Maoriland Worker , March 21st issue, criticises the actions of individuals whom it designates as I.W.W. men. alleged and otherwise.

Now, the I.W.W. is not concerned in the least about any criticism, whether adverse or not, applied to actions of flic individual; but where it is quite evident, as in the present case, that the individual is being used merely as the medium of an indirect attack on the New Zealand Branch of the 1.W.W., then we will defend ourselves as an organisation. Moreover, the present ease is an aggravated one, for even the individual has been badly misrepresented.

Quoting the Maoriland Worker: — ll -1. O’Brien (who claims to he a member of the 1.W.W.) moved that a ballot be taken . . . whether the union should take 1 steps to secure an award of the Court!”

The Maoriland Worker forgets to say that the above was an amendment to a motion (not an I.W.W. man’s motion, either) to the effect that it be decided there and then to apply for an award. O’Brien was against such undue hastiness, and his amendment was made in order to get an expression more representative of the feelings of the whole membership than could he obtained at that sparsely-attended meeting. Again, quoting from the Maoriland, Worker : —“J, O’Brien moved that a ballot be taken . . whether the union should secede from the N.Z. Federation of Labour.” There's the rub ! But the Maoriland. Worker again makes an important omission. It forgets to saw that t he- action of the Federation executive, on the occasion of the General Labourers’ strike, had caused an undercurrent of bitterness against the N.Z. Federation of Labour. The above step was taken merely to have tested the real feelings of the union, and to get a democratic vote on the mat ter. But the Maoriland Worker says the latter was not the case. It’savs that another I.W.W. man (alleged), in order to rush the matter through, moved that the ballot be taken three days later. Such a move was made, quite true, but not by an i.W.W. man, not even by an I.W.W. sympathiser. In fact, this liurry-up proposition was an amendment (practically a countermove) made to a motion, seconded by O’Brien, that the ballot be deferred a week, in order, as before, to give the whole membership of the union a chance of knowing Yvhat was afoot. Unfortunately,for the Federation, the amendment was carried, and the whole tiling was rushed through. Again, we emphasise the fact that the mover of that hurry-up amendment was not an I.W.W. man, as the Maoriland Worker alleges; and, also, the fact that an I.W.W. man—O’Brien opposed it on democratic grounds. There are the facts of the case. Whoever supplied the data, edited by the Maoriland Worker, has lied, for what purpose we can, certainly! only refer to past events. It is not the first time that a “ baffled individual has attempted to bring the New Zealand Branch of the I.W.W. into disrepute by attacking (ei tain oi its membership, for whose actions the 1.W.W., as* an organisation, cannot fairlv be held responsible. The F. of L. giants wrongly suppose that the I.W.W. is fighting, and attempting to disrupt, the proposed United Federation of Labour. Certainly, we hold pri nciples—non-Parli amentarism is one—which prevent our acceptance of the Basis of Unity as an improvement on our own constitution; but so loug as no attack, covert or otherwise, is made on this branch of the 1.W.W., we shall never prove the disruptive factor the Maoriland Worker mistakenly

supposes us to be. We have neither challenge or compromise to make. If the Basis of Unity proposers think they can make good, all right. We are going to wait and see. In the meantime, we shall continue propaganda on the lines of our constitution, with, which the Maoriland Worker has, evidently, no quarrel, notwithstanding the fact that it precludes Parliamentarism within the organisation. And. also, in the meantime, we shall meet any attack, directly or otherwise, made on the i.W.W', by no matter whom. We have time neither for minisi inging nor whitewashing, and we advise the Maoriland Worker to waste no time on either, it betokens neither tolerance nor intelligence.