NO LIGHTS FIRES TEMPORARY CHAOs.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 24 April 1917, Page 2

NO LIGHTS FIRES TEMPORARY CHAOs.

(To (.lie iiditon

Sir, —lo is not without some diffidence that I emerge from my cave of Adullam (not a dull ! un) to express a personal opinion on certain topics of the day not necessarily on the underwater scooters, but somewhat of the subterranean element who profess to dol<vo below, but are not slow to givo a stab in the back to the -New Zealand body politic who personally prefer or have to iojlow ■occupations on the earth's surface. These latter are considerably in the majority as compared with the subterranean delvers aforesaid, and therefore should speak and act with no uncertain sound with respect to interferers with the tranquility of every day life in our homes or the haunts and markets of commerce. It is not new to say that anyone who does not help to win the war or fulfil his existonce in our national call of to-day by self-denial cr self-sacrifice is (to me, and I presume any other with a soul a'we the sordid) simply and emphatically a traitor within the (New Zealand) gates. Should this latter straight observation meet the eye of any biped of the I. W.W. type and inclination in Levin, and who considers tliat the present unpatriotic and needless action of the State coalminers is to the betterment and •wellbeing of the Labor cause in my adopted country, lam prepared to back my opinion against the courage of his convictions (police, if any) in >a vacant part of Section 76 Cambridge-street, the only condition being that the person in opposition to myself be ineligible for military service First or Second Divisions. Sir, this must not be inferred as provocative of a breach of the peace: the unwritten law and war conditions should prevail at the present crisis of the country and empire's destinies. Some time back I wrote, re the ranks of Labor or portion thereof, "Are you to be a pride or an execration as time passfs?" The coalminers concerned, whether of State or private employment, are "acting the goat" and riding the high horse because of fancied or indirect advantage. They hold the nliip hand, and say "there are no substitutes or whitelegs to take our place, and the time of the year is at hand when lights and fire are necessary (intensely so) and we don't say too much about Semple being made a proper sample of, or of Noakes ditto, but we 'will dissemble, and although we are out of court, we have sympathy; and for notoriety, let us be blatant against Conscription." Before long there will be no bogus sympathy, but execration. By the word of a Cabinet Minister— therefore, I presume, also by Military are of a privileged class; to wit, it is decided that on public grounds and utility the industry of coalmining is exempt from voluntarysin conscription; but it. is necessary uliat they should remain in that occupation as a matter of course and in justice to the home community, and for '..lie sake of thf-e wiio have gone, to fight the Empire's battles, and for tho wake especially of those who are dependent, or who have been bereaved.

State miners as a class (in so-called opposition to being balloted for) are" a privileged class, and in such simulation against the law of the land have not a leg to stand on; it is simply a catch cry of sedition or treasonable purposes to perplex and annoy the public generally and prejudice the Governmental nction. But lam assured and feel confident that the unwise assumption of dictation to the powers of the law and of order that has been shown from tmo to time by-the leaven of I .WAV. will find and receive its coup de grace shortly at the hands of a justly-indig-nant community.

If one takes the State coalmine as a criterion of what might be brought about through State control of industries, etc.,- by acts of State employees, then the body politic will be ciliary of handling or taking over what may be eventually a rod for their own backs, as now demonstrated. The miners who foolishly rcject overtures may find ere long that exemption i 6 removed; free labor may become available from within, or persecuted Belgian miners sent to our shores. . It is only fair that those of I.W.W. leanings should be' treated as on sufferance only, in whatever calling or occupation they at .present are. and that there should be unity amongst all who are interested in the ordinary but best welfare of the dominion. —I am, etc., W.M.F. (The foregoing letter concludes with reference to the borough elections, but as the candidates referred to would have n/> opportunity of answering until after election day, we have excised the concluding portion of our correspondent's letter. —Editor, Chronicle.)