Solidarity.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 1, Issue 4, 15 December 1910, Page 6

Solidarity.

(By R. BREEN, Dunedin.) The subject which, to my mind, ia of the greatest importance to the workers of New Zealand to-day is SOLIDARITY, and my object in writing these lines is to impress on the Labour leaders the need for giving more consideration to that subject, and indulging less in personal bickerings.

The Labour movement is recognised all over the world as the greatest of all movements, and the Labour Party is the only party which has a gospel to preach—the gospel of humanity; but when the worker finds the leaders in this great movement constantly snarling at one another he cannot be blamed if he cries " Save mc from my friends." I have calmly read the article in the last issue of __ " The Maoriland Worker on the subject of "Industrial Unionism;" it was both interesting and instructive. Mr Hickey explained very clearly what " Industrial Unionism " means, and had he finished there no exception could have reasonably been taken to his article, however much one might differ from his method of organisation. This would surely have been much wiser than hurling abuse on the " paid secretaries " of Unions in New Zealand.

Wβ, none of us, are so very good, but in the Trade Union movement there are many earnest workers, and to abuse the handful of men who have and are still doing their best to improve the working conditions of those who employ them is not going to do the cause of " Industrial Unionism " any good.

However, my object in writing is not to attack Mr Hickey, but to plead for " solidarity," to ask, as a reasonable man, that others should be reasonable also. I am not opposed to " Industrial "Unionism." On the contrary, I am in favour of it, and personally I would not care two straws if " Industrial Unionism " robbed mc of my job to-morrow. The same applies to other secretaries. Instead of going through the country addressing meetings of workers, a great many of whom are not connected with any union, or take very little interest in the work of their Unions, would it not be a good plan for Mr Hickey and his colleagues to convene a meeting of the Presidents and secretaries of the Unions in the chief centres, and discuss the various schemes put forward for consolidating the forces of labour ? I am perfectly satisfied that a better understanding would be arrived at if such a course were adopted, and much bitterness and strife avoided.

I am not only in favour of " Industrial Unionism/ but also of conciliation and arbitration as a sane method of settling industrial disputes; but, above all, I am strongly in favour of political action, because only by political action can the conditions of the whole of the people, men, women and children, be improved. lam in favour of " Industrial Unionism " because I see in it a better system of organisation for political purposes. The first duty of a Union should be to improve the working conditions of its members, but, having accomplished\that, it is certainly their duty to join with others in assisting their weaker brothers and sisters, and that can only be done by political action. That is why I have always advocated that those Unions who have had their conditions fixed by Arbitration Court awards should direct their energies to the political side, instead of wasting it trying to get improved conditions from the Arbitration Court. For the benefit of new Unions which are constantly being formed I would have the Act remain, but the others have no use for it, further than to have their industrial award enforced.

At the present time €he Arbitration Act is the most abused Act on the Statute Book, but the Act is a boon to a great many Unions in New Zealand as without it they would not exist very long. The administration of the Act is what we have most grounds for complaining about, and for that the remedy lies in political action. If we want sympathetic administration of our Labour laws we must have men in Parliament to see that they are so administered. These laws were placed on the Statute Book to protect the worker from the unfair employer, but are they administered in the interest of the workers ? I say they are not. What are we going to do to remedy this state of things? Not go out on the war path, but rally our forces and make one solid Labour Party to fight the common enemy.

I plead with all " Labour Leaders " to bury the hatchet, sink all personal differences, and join hands in putting up the biggest fight Labour has ever

put up in New Zealand. " The Maoriland Worker " is going to be of great assistance. Its object is to promote the solidarity of Labour, anything m the nature of personal abuse will be discountenanced, and its circulation bids fair to be extensive. Our cause is a great and noble cause and does riot depend on Brown or Jones, but on all workers. Men may come and men may go but the Labour cause goes on for ever.