THE I.W.W. PRISONERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2142, 22 June 1920, Page 4

THE I.W.W. PRISONERS.

THREAT BY EXTREMIST UNIONS. Sydney, June 8. Any person, living outside of Australia. and trying to take an intelligent interest in'Australian affairs, must be greatly puzzled by the lAYAV. agitation. On the one hand,

there is reported a fierce Labour agitation in favour of the I.W A\. prisoners; on the other, a decision by the New South Wales Government (Labour) for a further inquiry into the claims for a reconsideration of the cases of the I.WAV. men. The twelve I.WAV. men were convicted in 1916 of being involved in a big and elaborate plot to burn down important buildings in Sydney, They had no particular object beyond that of calling attention to their personal discontent with existing social and economic conditions. They got sentences varying from ten to fifteen years. And every sane and decent man in the country approved of the sentences.

Ever since that time I.WAV. sympathisers, with an industry and tenacity of purpose worthy of a better cause, have been agitating for the release of the twelve men. Their agitation carried some weight, because some very ugly incidents suggesting police corruption and (he suborning of witnesses attended the trial. They succeeded in getting a re-trial, but the men Avere again found guilty, and the sentences reimposed. Then certain charges against the police were made. These were inquired into by a Royal Commissioner in circumstances amounting practically to another re-trial, but the outcome was the clearing of liie police and the confirmation of the sentences.

But the I.W.W.'s carried on their agitation, and their pernicious and vicious influence is so great that when the Labour Government came into power recently it avus obliged to agree to a further inquiry, and has engaged Mr Justice Ewing —the Tasmanian Judge avlio formulated the recent scathing report into Northern Territory administration —to conduct it. But the T.W.W. are not satisfied. ■ They are hoAvliug louder than eA’er. They are holding passionate open-air meetings about the city, and their slickers “Set the twelve men free” may bo seen everywhere. They do not Avant a further trial; they want unconditional release —and they think that iioav, Avith a Labour Government in poAver, is the time to secure it. They have managed to “Avork” two big unions. The Seamen’s Union has resolved lhat, if the I.WAV. men are not released within a month they will go on strike, and the Waterside Workers' Federation has decided to support the seamen. It is not expected that either union will gel the support of a majority of its members in hiking such drastic action on behalf of a gang of criminals; but if such a strike should occur, it would mean a sharp struggle between the unions, as representing the extremists, and the Labour Government, which represents Moderate Labour. It is a struggle that some believe is bound lo come sooner or later.