THE Kaipara Advertiser, AND WAITEMATA CHRONICLE. WEDNESDAY, NOV. 26, 1913. THE STRIKES.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 26 November 1913, Page 2

THE Kaipara Advertiser, AND WAITEMATA CHRONICLE. WEDNESDAY, NOV. 26, 1913. THE STRIKES.

The sooner the workers of this country rid themselves of the class of men who pose in the role of leadens the better will it be for their interests and the cause of • Labor. The stupid blunders made by the agitators always rebound on the shoulders of the workers, but by their glib utterances these so-called leaders gloss over, their mistakes and maintain their prestige with the workers. One cause of tho strikes now prevalent is said to be that the workers are becoming more enlightened. We are pleased to hear that the workers are progressing educationally, although we cannot concede that the strikes are the outcome; but we do venture the opinion that a little more enlightenment will enable the workers to sec how they are being exploited and misled by a few men of ability which is entirely misdirected. It is all very well to advocate v Our cause right or wrong," as one strike leader does, but such action has no moral principle by which it may be justified ; and sooner or later the man acting on advice of such a nature finds himself against Law and Order, that is if the cause is wrong.

The advice of other leaders, who openly boast of atherism and decry all methods of just and fair dealing, who preach " To hell with agreements " and have no respect whatever for for the social, religious and political rights of the people as a whole, also tends to show the spurious nature of their leadership.

Some of the profoundest thinkers the world has ever known declare that titere is a fundamental principle of justice behind all the affairs of life, and if strike leaders start out with an advocacy of " wrong " they oppose this great truth and have an economically unsound position. All true progress made with the cause of Labor can only be on the principles of equity and justice, and results gained by any other means cannot be of any permanent benefit. The strike leaders at present in gaol for allegedly violating the laws of the country-should proI vide a sharp object lesson to

many ; for the cause of Labor must be built on the morale of the conception of an universal Brotherhood of Humanity, or they that try to build it but labor in vain.

On the subject of the Strike the " Farmers Union Advocate' 5 has the following :—" It is high time that legislation was brought down to abolish preference to unionists and to make it impossible when an illegal strike occurs to enter into any agreement which will confer a benefit upou the strikers. When an agreement or an award is deliberately broken, freedom of contract should be the law, and ! basis of settlement should be none other than the agreement or award existing at the time of the illegal strike. Monetary penalties are of little avail where large numbers of men are concerned, and only the impossibility of obtaining higher wages by a strike will cause the workers to do a little considering before agreeing to come out at the bidding of an irresponsible executive whose pay goes on strike or no strike."