PLAIN BLUNT SPEECH.
ADVICE TO BRITISH SEAMEN. There are a good many people in New Zealand who are possessed of (he strange idea that lo speak or write against the Reds is to “attack Labour.’’ How they have got hold of such an illusion we fail to understand. Some of the very strongest condemnation of the Reds have come from prominent men in the Lahour movement. As an example we present here (title and all) a leader from “The Seaman’’ official organ of the British National Sailors’ and Firemen’s Union (August 29th.. 1924). THE REDS. “Wo. sincerely hope our many readers will not, on reading the licadimr of this article, conclude that; we have an extra dose of ‘Bad Nerves’ or ‘Microbes.’ Far from it. We understand the ‘Reds’ and what their policy stands for, and we do not complain of either their policy or their principles.
“Have not some of them stated very clearly that in their opinion Trade Unions are camouflaging institutions which hinder the progress ■ f what they call the ‘forward movement’ and should be openly fought and destroyed. These are men who may be described as the ‘Out and Outers’ of the Red movement, but there is another section who. although holding the same opinion of Trade Unions, believe that their destruction can be best brought ,-t - hout from the inside. These men say to the workers; ‘Don’t leave your Union, stay in, and ginger up and harass the leaders and committees, as much as ever you can.’ By these means they hope to start a rebellion that will ultimately destroy the Trade Union movement. Their policy is to kick out all the moderate leaders and then give their positions In men who are painted red from head to toe.
“The men who preach this gospel are those who have lived oir Trade Union funds all their lives, but' have never attained any position or success in the particular unions they have joined. They have generally managed to lead the Unions they have been connected with up the wrong goad, and in addition, have helped to impoverish the working nan by their preachings and policy. 'Some of them are not ashamed lo •onfess that this was their ultimate aim and object, because they say ihc worse (hev com make I lie conditions of the workers, the sooner will he be ready for what they term ■The Glorious Revolution.' after aliieli a Government will be set up imilar in form 10 ilmt which exists in Russia to-ilav.
“There i~ much conflict of opinion a.-, to whether the Russian people are better or worse off to-* - day ilum they were under the late lsarist Government: Tf you read ;he •Red’ papers if would appear I hat all is O.K. regarding I lie workers of Russia. If you read other l-apcrs, even socialist papers, you aie given to understand tjml the Russian workmen are practically slaves. Not having been lo Russia recently, we cannot afford to Im dogmatic on this question hut (here is one tiling lhal is certain and that is ilmt Russia is a bankrupt nation and lhal they are now appealing ro capitalist governments to tinance them. This appears to us lo he passing -Irange, because many of the seeming men who knew Russia before .ue Great War and the revolution, will tel] you that in their opinion Russia is one of the richest, countries in the world, Imt that the eouni;y ue. cis to he developed. “We have thought, going by the descriptions given by 1 lie ‘Red’ journals that gentlemen at. the head of affairs in Russia were more or less magicians, and that a little thing such as the development of a, rich country, without the aid of outside help, would have been a mere bagatelle to them. However, it appears that they are only human after all, and are not aide to do more than other ngonle. . . “Last Saturday there was an ‘AH Red Conference' in London, and Mr Tom Mann delivered the goods. Trade Unions have to be gingered up, slow leaders have to he pushed out and new methods are to he adopted in the Trade Union movement. We have often heard this clap-trap before, and one object in writing on this Rod question is with a view to preventing the workers from being deceived by such rubbish. Evolution is a s slow process and the passing of long, windy resolutions will not hasten it—on the contrary, it will do much to retard it.” (Contributed by the N.Z. Welfare League).
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MH19241115.2.27
Bibliographic details
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Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2811, 15 November 1924, Page 4
Word count
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760PLAIN BLUNT SPEECH. Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2811, 15 November 1924, Page 4
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