Words for Working Men.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XII, Issue 1747, 30 June 1886, Page 2

Words for Working Men.

On the subject of labor strikes a oontn* butor of the Rationalist makes the following sensible observations which we commend to the careful consideration of our readefifof all classes. Speaking of theirecent strike among the operatives m the boot factories, the writer says : — The employes intended to inflict a pun- 1 ishraeut and lesson on the employers ; perhaps they did, but the stoppage of production would enable funployere to reduce manufactured stock lying on handy always a gratifying transaction to the'iuaTn afacturerg" "ajha 'eiriployeß pod-' ished themselves n^Bt. When the strike was/eight woeks|on', the papers stated the employes had lost £4,000 m • wagiai alone. - It was remarkable that at a time when the cry of unemployed and commercial depression was load m our ; 'city, a section of the community should be refusing £500 per week m" wages, ;Two thousand poundSiWould, I think, purchwe a reepectalile,blk)tm&king plant, land a good stock of. . farther,- 'and ' th* ' bootmakers of Auckland* m eight weeks •wasted as much money as would start and •stock two such boot factories. Ah, Well, >we do some foolish things. It carf't be $|ipeaiuow j bri¥ I >'hope next, •time employe's have ' a diffeienoe with' their eiri^loye*rJßf;th>yr?YJ)l*>W9B] 1 th « matter, coolly and determine upon a cooperative factory ra'thei' than strike. In all these contests money is the sinews, of v^ar, and the operative bootmakers of ; 'Auckland; Whether they have gained 'their point, if Joet 4t, .or split the difference, are. now, £4^X)0 v weaker and poorer, than ] they ' were ' 'ttiree'" months a^o~£4,oiCK> less a^le to contest ' any difference which may aiwe between^ jthem and their employers. Employers ' ,are not so familiap-with the employers' case -as^ with- itheir own. 'Tliey seethe .employer wear his coat .while they must . cast theirs j .his hands are not hard as" theirs, nor sbilecl, except with ink. Be ' spends his time m his office, on the street pushing business ■ or visitine the band's ; not as monotonous toil as theirs. But* they 96 'not know about hismortga^es, his bills 6t sale r and bank overdrafts.; They do not know how competition com- , pels him to cut jdowu his niirgih of ' profit ; how be suffers from goods becoming unfashionable and unsaleable, . and liow He lbses by customers not paying their ticcounfe* They . do not know > how he is worried target buyers for his manufactures, and the hunt he has to £et money to meet his bills, and to pay their wages. No, the ; einploy4 sees only the sunny side of the emrjloyer. but vow •and then the flther, side is revealediiisthe Insolyency Court, and shows theenvied r employer, a poorer man than tbe eth« ploye. Employes should! as far as possible acquaint themselves with the . employers' case, jand employers should admit employes^? i^to their confidence. Employ^s^iSlwuldiSalßO- >be candid with emplojjef s iri'regreßentation of> theirv owja* case. of mutual candbur perpetrates igrior|nce|arfd'-' misconception and Bealsup thaljbahn of knowledge which would m n^a^y cases allay if not remove irritatiQnatfdlthus prevent mpture^ Bu^ shonlSTempldyerX present to employes a haughty/ and unsympathe^c front, ;emplay^s r should tiieri, determine to con* .centrate^tlaeif^feitort r^uppn one, object ; they should master the monetary power, -summons their .business talent, organize jtheir craft-skill and become their own lemployere. and praptiofll , remarks are^cpntainVd, it willbe observed, . m a publication Which the Library Cammittee excommunicated from the public Reading room,>'as ibeing dangerous to the moral and social well-being of the coniraunity. The above" ia a sample of the " blasphemous, obscen;ce and seditious" literature of which we have heard somuch v bflate. Ed. M.D*S.| .