POSTMEN AND POLICEMEN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2455, 18 July 1922, Page 4

POSTMEN AND POLICEMEN.

ALLIANCE OP LABOUR. THE CASE FOR AFFILIATION. The last issue of the Katipo Official Organ of the and Telegraph Officers Association, presents their case for affiliation with the Alliance of Labour. It is made to rest on these-grounds:— 1. That the Alliance is a lawful Association. 2. That the Postal Officers, being Citizens, have a right to affiliate with any lawful Association. 3. That the action of the Government in objecting to such affiliation is an act of intimidation in contravention of the Constitution of New Zealand.

Let us.examine the soundness, or otherwise of these reasons. First on No. I—what is meant by the word “lawful” ? This is answered by Mr H. E. Combs,, their secretary, where he says .-—“The Alliance of Labour is not an illegal,organisation.” On this we have to point out that neither is the Communist Party of N.Z. an illegal organisation. Further it is questionable whether a Society inculcating the doctrine of philosophic anarchism would be an illegal organisation. i The mere fact that a body is-not illegal is no guarantee; that its objects are for the safety or well-being of the State. It is clearly stated that the objective ol the Alliance of Labour is:—“The collective ownership of the means of production and distribution, and control of all industries by the workers who operate them in the interests of. the community.” The “Katipo” argues that the words'^in'the interests of the community” ai*e the key to the whole objective, but that is simply nonsence. Plainly the meaning of that objective is a policy designed to abolish.all private ownership and control of industry. When there is added, what is the Alliance Constitution, a scheme to unite all wage earners on a class basis in one organisation Citizens are justified in regarding this combination as a distinct menace to their existing legal and moral rights. That brings us to the truth that all that is lawful, in the sense .of npt being illegal, is not necessarily desirable or right. Evidently the Katipo has/doubts about this Red objective because it hurries past it with these word's “it is only a side issue at the present juncture.”

Coming to reason No. 2 —we find the P. and T. Officers stress their rights as Citizens. Surely, however, they must understand that they are not seeking to join the Alliance merely as Citizens. Their general rights As Citizens is not the issue. The true issue is as to their rights as;, public servants who have entered into contracts with the State. A private person who pleaded his general rights as a citizen against his duty as a contracting party .before any court in the land would quickly be told that he was talking absurdly. What, is the fight which public servants possess in the way of freedom of association is the real issue. The P. and T. Officers Association says—the full right to join any association that is net illegal. We deny that tlipy have any such right. In support of their plea they - quote this clause - from the Peace Treaty—clause 2: —“The right- of association for all lawful purposes by the employed as well as by the employers.” That affirmation has to, he read in reason. It is nothing more than a recognition of the .general right of employees and pmployers to associate for lawful ends; hut- it' does not imply any absolute right of either to associate iu any manner which may be in con-, travention of any legal or moral obligations they have undertaken; or in ways detrimental to the interests of the State. To show the falacy of the argument that “public servants- have a right to join any organisation that is not illegal”;, we have but to give the rule a general application. If the principle is sound then the Police have a right to join the Alliance of Labour, Communist Party or any other “lawful” organisation. The P. and T. Officers cannot claim that right and deny it to the workers in the Treasury, the Customs, the Police, the Defence, ’the Legislative, and all other State Departments.' We challenge the P. and T. Officers Association to ■ declare for the right of all these various Officers to join any outside organisation they please provided it is not an illegal body. It is no Use beating the air—neither this country, or any other that we know of have ever recognised the right of public servants to join any outside body, merely because such body is not an illegal one. On their reason No. 3, we have only to say that, whilst we believe the P. and T.' Officers have some ligitimate grievance which should be rectified, the Government is fully justified in demanding of any section of public servants that they shall refrain from joining any outside’ association which may prove idetrimental to the public service. In becoming Postal employees the P. ;and T. 1 Officers, entered into a con-tract-to serve ' the State without class bias. Affiliation with the class p&rtiaanAlliance-would be a denial of l that contract: : It is not intimi-dation-hut adjust demand to ask that the spirit of their . contract shall be observed by all who enter 'into the Stated Service, j (Contributed by ...the N.Z. Welfare League.)