UNITY CONGRESS COMMITTEE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 547, 5 March 1913, Page 3

UNITY CONGRESS COMMITTEE.

CONGRESS CONVENED FOR JULY Ist, 1913, AT WELLINGTON (The matter in this column is supplied by authorised advocates of the Baciia of Uni'y adopted by the Trade Union Conference, which met in January at Wellington. The writers o? the articles are alone responsible for the opinions therein expressed). UNITY, POLTICAL ACTION AND LIBERALISM. There can be but one answer to the question, "Should the forces of Labour be united?" —and if you put the question to any wage earner, he will answer most emphatically, "Yes." Is there any valid reason why Labour should not be united? The answer is just as emphatic in the negative. At the recent conference in Wellington every delegate was. desirous of unity, with the result that a basis of unity was agreed upon for submission to the organised workers of the Dominion through their own particular unions; and I trust that when the business comes before these bodies the decision will be just as unanimous for adoption of the principles embodied in the circular submitted as it was in the conference chambpr at Wellington.

Every unionist should determine to do his utmost to persuade his fellow worker to attend his union meeting and to co-operate with the officers of the union in securing new members and strengthening the union in every possible way. See to it that the union is linked up with the federation in its particular industry, and the federation in turn linked up with kindred federations, and the whole of the federated trades and industries joined in one grand United Federation of Labour. The goal is in sight, fellow workers. Do not forget for one moment, wherever you may be, that you are a unionist, and as such in duty bound in your own interest to act as an organiser to obtain recruits to assist you in bettering your own position in the immediate future, and that of your children in time to come.

With a united working claas army it ia possible to elect the Parliament of New Zealand at the next election, composed of the nominees from the ranks of organised Labour. The benefits to be obtained by the workers organising and sending delegates to a Labour Congress where at every organisation of-workers in the country will be represented are so obvious, so palpable as to be beyond dispute. It is the only method whereby the workers can get together and thresh out their differences of opinion. Let the majority decide what the future constitution, policy and platform will be, and whatever that decision is it must be loyally adhered to by every democrat throughout the length and breadth of the land. The working men and women of New Zealand have each a vote and they have merely to make up their minds collectively as to what they want, and govern themselves by voting for men at the ballot box who are pledged to carry out the measures agreed upon at the Labour Congress, and embodied in the Labour platform. Every wage earner should vote on principle for his own side. Self-preservation is the first law of nature: it does not matter whether the candidate is known to you or not, he is on your side, and as such must naturally be opposed to those who are always trying to squeeze more and more from their employees in one hundred and one different ways. Take heed of: the past! You have been led to support politicians who were alleged to be in sympathy with Labour, but refused to give a written pledge to vote for anything. Would you give a Liberal politician a lease of a property without a legal document being Bigned and sealed? I think not, but yet you have given these gentlemen your votes on promise of sympathetic treatment, to enable them to maKe laws which will perhaps ruin your home life or rob you of yoar liberty; perhapß prevent you exercising parental control over your own son, or take him from you without your consent. No, friends, the time has arrived when to stem the time of reaction which has set in the workers must decide upon the reforms they require, and then engage men to carry out their wishes by legal enactment, and administer the laws in the spirit in which they were passed. Workers, when considering a candidate for any public position, ask yourselves whether he would be suitable as the president of your union. Has he any interests that clash with yours? If so, disqualify him at once. In the past Labour was hoodwinked into an amalgamation of its forces with the Liberals, In the early stages Labour was treated with respect, but gradually as the years went by it received less consideration, Labour principles were lost sight of, and the leaders of the Liberal Administration, in considering the question of giving the Government nomination to a candidate was not particular as to his political principles; their chief concern was to find out if he would give a general support to the Government and if he was prepared to keep it in power; and if a man of standing in his district, with a good chance of success, he received the endorsement of the Govei-nment.

This policy resulted in disaster, as We are all aware, and proves that a party without a platform is like a ship without a rudder. Any party to achieve success must consist of men holding principles in common, principles which are part of tbeir being; earnest, sincere and tried men who have been trained in the school of experience, in the ranks of Labour, and will do all in their power to obtain the demands t»f the Workers for economic justice —not as a compliment, but as a right. Such a party would make history, and indeed make New Zealand legislation worthy of emulation by other countries. The Unity Congress in July will make possible such a glorious consummation. Fellow unionists, be true to yourselves, and make that congress the success it ought to be.