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“SPECIALS”—TWO KINDS.

It has been said that the mob of special police now in Auckland consists largely of beerbums, degenerates, and a sprinkling of criminals. The statement is in essence correct.

Nevertheless, it is notable that many, especially the farmers, are clean, well-meaning individuals, who have been misled by the lyingreports spread at the behest of the employers. It is clear enough, from sundry conversationsthat this element do not realise the true nature of Government. That government is really the stronger of two forces in one “ community,” city., area, country, republic, or empire. Among the specials are many farmers and farmers’ sons who really think they are doingthe highly meritorious tiling. Away in the back blocks most of their time, some of them rarely seeing a town, some of them never, many of them too hard worked to find time to read much, these misguided men are out of touch wi th social thought, and consequently fail to realise what a vital matter a struggle between Labour and Capital is to the workers; fail to realise what an unenviable position they have allowed themselves to be placed in. The balance of the special force, those who are not farmers, consists of the elements mentioned, plus a number of odd men in the city, including warehousemen, etc. The latter, in most cases, have been forced to enrol under threat of the economic lash being applied; in other words, the boss has said, m effect, “Bludgeon the workers, or I’ll bundle you out” These elements can be depended upon to make some right —on account of ignorance and panic. The pressed man will fight out of sheer desperation to save his own hide. Government is mere force, not so much superior numbers, but force intelligently organised and handled, no matter how unscrupulous the directing brains. If a band of armed brigands could get sufficient adherents, no matter liow much lying, coercion, or force was used, they would be the government. If the workers have sufficiently Solidarity to render the government force powerless, th will be the government. Just to the extent the workers are able to paralyse industry, decentralize or render inoperative the forces of the employing class, whether the means be education, “ guerrilla tactics,” or complete Solidarity of all the workers in the country, to that extent will we challenge the government, and to that extent in the present struggle will be victorious. It is hardly true that the farmers' interests are identical with the workers, though, as a matter of fact, the small farmers are in the grip of the same economic forces as we, the workers. Many of them have interests opposed to the money barons who are fighting us. Just now it is not to be expected that the better type of men among the specials will see that they are being used by their own economic

enemies to hold the bludgeon over us to try to break our strike. We must accept them as they are, and they must take the consequences. In no other country that I know of would such insolence be tolerated from special police as we see in Auckland just now. The Wellington strikers have met insolence with the proper attitude, have met force with force. The English strikers chased the specials so much that the imitation policemen were glad to hide themselves anywhere. The American strikers captured, only the other day, two machine guns that were pointed at them —and pointed them in the other direction. The Italian strikers, in the recent general strike, put the fear of God into the armed regular soldiers, the civilian police ” were treated with contempt. Food is being carted to the homes of “ Fat ” at Remuera and elsewhere. The strikers anywhere but Auckland would have overturned them and taken the food for themselves long ago- ‘ ‘ G overnment 5 5 rests on force —not necessarily violence. If the whole working class of New Zealand strike as one man victory is assured. If the strike is only partial its success will depend on how much “ free labour” Fat can get going. That in turn depends on the degree of LAW maintained by the workers. LAW is not ink and paper —paper can’t stop you from taking food and intercepting scabs, only active pickets can do that. An active WORKERS 5 SPECIAL POLICE FORCE, to maintain ct law and order,” would, if properly organised, clear some of the smell away and lessen the danger of typhoid in the streets of Auckland. —F. Hanlon.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/INDU19131115.2.25

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Industrial Unionist, Volume 1, Issue 16, 15 November 1913, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
754

“SPECIALS”—TWO KINDS. Industrial Unionist, Volume 1, Issue 16, 15 November 1913, Page 3

“SPECIALS”—TWO KINDS. Industrial Unionist, Volume 1, Issue 16, 15 November 1913, Page 3

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