The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, November 29, 1913. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1178, 29 November 1913, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, November 29, 1913. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

A writer in a contemporary revives a simple allegory contained in a juvenile lesson book, which has a bearing upon the present industrial situation. It points out the inter-depeudence of all, and its application to industrial life is worthy of careful study by those who would seek rather to destroy than educate Labour. The lesson is about a strike strike of the members of the human body. Arms aud hands refused to work. “Why should we,” they said, “do all the work to keep the rest of you going that do nothing?” “Ob, no,” said Legs, “what about us ; if we did not carry you about, what good would the rest of you be ? We won’t work any more, aud let us see bow you get on.” “Well,” said Brains, “neither Arms, nor Legs, nor Hands would be any good without me. I won’t work, and the rest of you will be paralysed.” “Not quite so fast,” said Stomach. •'You are all worthless without me. Brain can conceive plans, aud Hands aud Legs be willing to carry them out, but if I don’t work where are you ? I am the most important of alb I’ll bring yon to your senses by working no more.” So they all struck, and Heart, which remained loyal to its duty to the last, gradually became weaker and slower. Legs and Arms withered, Stomach grumbled and groaned in unrelieved agony, aud the whole body was slowly but surely dying. Then brain reviewed the position. “Look here, you fellows,” said he, “we are all fools to go on like this. Not one of us can do without the other. Let us admit it, and get going again, helping each other all we can.” As the whole body was nearly dead through the strike, this saying seemed very good. Brain took up his job of directing ; Hands and Legs set to work ; Stomach turned the lood supplied to it into good blood and muscle, and Heart rejoiced and sent the life-fluid vigorously to every extremity, and the Body became a strong, harmonious whole. In a quiet, friendly talk together it was unanimously agreed that the strike of one was an injury to all, lor each depended upon the other, as their painful experiment had abundantly proved. Henceforth that body went on its way rejoicing in the strength and harmony of all its members. Isn’t there a lesson in it to be learned by those bands in New Zealand who strike work at any moment, because foolish consultation persuades them that hands can do without either Brain or Stomach ? —that if they stop out of work long enough they will own the earth, where if they succeed in stopping Hands, Brain and Stomach the chances are they will quickly and permanently occupy all the earth they can permanently own, namely their graves ?