THE Kaipara Advertiser, AND WAITEMATA CHRONICLE. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1914 UNIONISM.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 18 March 1914, Page 2

THE Kaipara Advertiser, AND WAITEMATA CHRONICLE. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1914 UNIONISM.

The Liberal papers are making a great song about a circular sent round among the party of Reform urging the formation of a union of defence for the purposes, common to all reformers. What these purposes are may easily be guessed at by a merely passing reference to the late strike which sought to trample on all rights, including the rights of those deluded enough to obey the strike leaders who were the leaders of the red federation. But the principle of unity is old a3 the hills and has been in force on the labour side for generations. Surely those who do not see eye to aye with labour and have no intention of being dominated by a Labour Grovernment have a right to combine so as to get the most out of their strength at the ballot boxes. The essence of the Arbitration Act is the principle of reform. For that reason compulsory arbitration is applied only to organised bodies, for it is impossible for th.9 unorganised to present sufficient solidity for any la^ to act upon. If it is permitted and even laudable for labour to combine it is as permissible and as laudable for others to join together their forces by the strength of cooperation. The only mistake we find in that procedure of the Reform Party in this matter is that their organisers did not make this circular moie public. It ought to have gone' round the country fairly and above board for all men to see and for those concerned to know that a combination plan is afoot to enable them to hold their own in times of political stress. On the other hand, when colours are absent and the enemy discovers that a sub-. stitute is travelling round in the dark he is more than likely—indeed it is his duty to draw sinister conclusions. By all means unite the party of reform. But let the union process be done in the full light of day. It is possible to have too much tactics and too little principle in politics. Avoid that error.