LABOUR AND THU WAR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1502, 27 January 1916, Page 2

LABOUR AND THU WAR.

After several disastrous failures, the heads of the Federation of Labour (which has not changed the old lamiliar redness) are saying, in effect, to the workers: “ Give us one more trial. Have faith in us, and we shall move mountains.” They moved mountains before, and, unhappily tor large numbers of credulous workers, the mountains fell the wrong way. Before the great war the Red chiefs were tried and found wanting. Many unionists whose heads had been temporarily turned by the ceaseless wind of phrases, completely lost confidence in their mislea&ers. But these are not dismayed. They are hoping that when all classes of the public are at the greatest crisis of the Empire’s history, Labour will agree to have its mind adjusted, according to the Red formula. Extreme Socialists, who bitterly opposed New Zealand’s preparation in times of peace against a sudden call to war, convened the present “anti-conscription ” conference. These irreconcilable “ anti-mili-tarists ” are surely not the leaders whom Labour would choose at a time when the nation is at deadly grips with an enemy well armed, thoroughly trained for battle. Safety and prosperity for the workers do not lie by the dreamy route of the federation of Labour. These are the days when workers have to give heed to the wise, in their own country and in other countries. The proof of Labour’s mind and heart —as we have already indicated —is best seen in the recruiting figures. Labour’s answer to the ruinous nonsense of ultraSocialists is written on the scroll of deathless honour and fame. Honour ! The word serves for a remarkable contrast. Throughout New Zealand to-day the people see a roll of honour —the list of men wounded or killed in defence of the State, Before the war there was a “roll of honour” in the official organ of the Federation of Labour —the list of young men who had refused to do their share of military training for the national safety. And this is the kind of leadership which offers itself to the workers in these days when the country has to make the best possible use of its men and material against the German nation that aspires to a destruction of British freedom, —Post-