WHY WE WANT UNITY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 549, 12 March 1913, Page 2

WHY WE WANT UNITY.

(By J. Read, secretary Enginedrivers' Federation). It cannot be questioned for an instant that the unionist who properly understands unionism will endorse the principle of unity of all Labour forces. What has previously been in the way has been mostly referring to our different attitudes to the Arbitration Act. Owing to recent occurrences, it has been borne in upon us that no body of organised Labour could approve of the way in which the Act was being administered, allowing a handful of the men in an industry to control the destinies of the whole of the men following that industry. We are necessarily democrats, and must decry any working which ceases to recognise democratic procedure. Another factor in keeping the Labour forces apart has bten the question of the desirability of political action. Some have claimed that we had nothing to gain by taking such action, but that we would do far better] by confining our efforts to industrial matters and making our industrial organisations perfect weapons of offence and defence against the forces of capitalism which assailed them.

Relerring to the Arbitration Act, we have seen how time ha 3 acted as a smootber-away of difficulties on this subject. There are unions both in the United Labour Party and in the Federation oE Labour which have cancelled their registration under the Arbitration Act, while there are unions which at present belong to neither party in the same position. The Basis of Unity goes the whole way in making it pos sible for these different bodies to combine for their one common object. Those organisations which do not believe in political action will be able to affiliate with the industrial department, but it will be advisable after recent occurrences for all unions to get behind the political machine as well. It is a proven fact that the administrative function of government is a most powerful one, as it affects industrial organisation. From this standpoint alone is political action desirable; but when we see unions commonly proceeding on deputations to see Ministers with regard to amendments to the laws which control their occupation, it is forced in upon us that it is desirable for us to have control of the legislative machine as Well. Even some of those unions which have been anti-political are closely affected by the law, and notwithstanding the fact that Labour by a united effort could easily get control of Parliament in this country, are yet content to wait upon the pleasure of those who are wholly controlled by our enemies.

The day has come when we must use every possible way to improve the conditions of the workers. Too long has the life and liberty of the workers been at the mercy of other folks, and by using our united efforts towards betterment there is not the least doubt but we will achieve something in a comparatively short time. Out of stern necessity has the desire for unity been born. Knowing the power lying unused in the Labour forces, it has been a source, to many working-class advocates, of the greatest trouble to see that force worse than unused —that is, in being used in internecine strife. What chance of freeing themselves from the Turkish yoke would the Balkan States have without unity? Our position is exactly the same, and only by uniting all forceß of Labour in a common onslaught on the position of the enemy can we achieve our object.

Prom the educative point of view we will, by the fact of unity, go ahead by leaps and bounds, for while the two parties were buoy battering each other the undecided in our ranks were many. With unity of action we do away with this uncertainty, and get the desired solidarity of all Labour for one straight aim. As has been stated before, we must necessarily know to what port our boat is to sail, otherwise we are for ever drifting in a hopeless sea, and what better port can there be than the one approved by all enlightened working class throughout the world—The socialisation of the mfiane of life. This alone will give the economic ideal of each worker reaping the full benefit from his labour.

The chief difficulty immediately confronting us is the matter of the mental outlook of the workers. We are sadly lacking in means of disseminating our views among the workers, and one eee by determined effort on.the part of all Labour organisations, working unitedly,there is a probability of this matter being rectified. It wil! be no dream for us to consider Labour newspapers when we are all in the one camp. In cases of industrial strife, we see how the press is used mostly against the workers, but once we have tho one army with the one object it is easy to forecast a change. The talk of those who desire to see several organisations among the workers will be directed against this most desirable consummation —Unity—not because it will not be of use to the workers, but because they are afraid it will be of too much use!

Our hope lies in unity. The unionist who says otherwise does not understand. If it is right for the individual, the unit of the union, to belong to a union, it is equally right for the union to belong to a federation, and for that federation to be joined up with all other working class organisations. This is what the Unity campaign stands for. Do you know of anything against it? The only thing that can be said against it is that it

is likely to go a long way in undermining the strong position held by thotee who are against the workers. That will not be said by the workers, but by those who live on what others earn and their satellites. The time calls for all efforts to be concentrated on unity. Unity is desirable. Unity is now procurable. With unity our position is unassailable. So help along the good cause which will be consummated in July next.