CORRESPONDENCE

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2949, 15 October 1925, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE

TRYING TO GET OUT OF IT. SOCIALIST PARTY AND THE STRIKE. (To the Editor). Sir. —After encouraging the British seamen to carry on the strike the candidates, of the “New Zealand Labour Party” are now trying to shuffle out of any responsibility. Air. R. Semple “denies that he had encouraged or fostered the shipping strike.” He certainly joined with others in raising money to carry on the strike, and if that is not fostering it then there is no meaning in language. For a man who made special appeals to assist the strikers to say that he did not encourage the strikers to carry on the strike is too positively ridiculous for anything. Mr. Lee Martin (another Red candidate) at Hamilton said: — “The Labour party had no more to do with the strike than the Reform or National Parties.” That is pure fudge. The Reform and National Parties are against the strike whereas Air. PI. E. Combs, speaking for his party (which is Mr. Martin’s) said “the Labour Party was in full, sympathy with the seamen on strike,” and then went on to justify the action of these men in breaking the agreement which they had signed. It is beyond question that leading men of the party have been with the strikers and encouraged them to carry on. They have held public meetings and pleaded for support in carrying on the strike. They have marched with the convicted strikers (with banners and parade) to the prison gates, though not inside. In the face of all this evidence we now have the candidates of this party pleading on the Hustings that they have nof in any way encouraged the strike.- It is a miserable shuffle and such a plea should be treated with the contempt it deserves. We are. Yours Etc, N.Z. WELFARE LEAGUE.