A NOTEWORTHY FEATURE.

Industrial Unionist, Volume 1, Issue 16, 15 November 1913, Page 2

A NOTEWORTHY FEATURE.

OF THE AUCKLAND STRIKE.

Thick-headed littleness has been conspicuous by its absence among strikers, Union officials, and Labour men of all kinds during the Auckland strike. Many who, three weeks ago, passed each other with a stony stare, have been seen cordially congratulating each other upon Labour’s remarkable loyalty. Men of every conceivable shade of opinion, from the anti-political Syndicalist to the socalled reactionary, have dropped differences and cordially co-operated to make things go well. Men who would have heatedly called an I.W.W. man a ranting extremist, and fellows in the I.W.W. who would have sneered about the “ reactionary,” now eagerly scout together, eat together, joke together, and discuss the situation.

The genuine Arbitration Unionist, instead of hurling the term “ Bed Fed ” as anathema, now softly laughs at it as good humoured banter if it is mentioned at all, and the “ Bed Fed” joins his old theoretical opponent in expressing abhorrence of the scab and determination to fight to a finish.

Men born in countries widely apart, too, have forgotten that such things as natural language differences and artificial geograhpical divisions ever existed. Hans has thrown his cap in the air with enthusiasm, and said he “ didn’t link it,” and then shook hands with Harry, the Mew Zealander. Fritz has quickly seconded Fred’s resolution “ that we down tools immediately,'’ and both have execrated Zamovitch and Brown, who were reported to have joined the specials. Tire strike is a victory if we get no further than that. Such is the spirit of Solidarity that shall soon weld Labour into an invincible army.