THE SYDNEY STRIKE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1750, 23 August 1917, Page 4

THE SYDNEY STRIKE.

The alleged grievance of the introduction of time-cards in the railway workshops is merely being put forward as an excuse by the Labour camarilla for provoking a, disturbance,__ says a Sydney correspondent. It has been known for months that Labour was preparing to “he up the wheels.’' The reasons for this arc many, hirst of all, it has to he remembered that the “wild men’’ are in charge of the Labour machinery nowadays. Next, that all through the ranks of Labour (he doctrine of “smashing capital” has had steady growth. Further, there is the gravest possible discontent at the failure of Parliament to protect the wages of the workers from the exactions of the landlord or from the pressure, of the high cost of commodities. And behind all this is the passionate desire to make more difficult the work of the existing anti-Labour Governments and to counter the conscription movement. This latter object is almost an obsession with most of the unions, though it is a little difficult to see how they strengthen the opposition to conscription by going without work or how they make the cost,of living more endurable by going without wages. However, it is no use misunderstanding these people. Their main idea is to be destructive for the purpose of advancing the economic and political position of Labour, and it is not improbable we may see a series of strikes all through the Commonwealth.