In Our Opinion.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 25, 25 August 1911, Page 11

In Our Opinion.

■ "ji/fflt. J. -'lteir ■ Hardie, M.P., speaking i|_L a t Derby, contrasted the.-women's pi <jcessioii"*in London with the Coronation procession. In the latter, ho said, there was no representative of Christianity, oi* art, or science, or even of trade '.ami'commerce; nothing but the glorification of the god of war. The Coronation procession, with its pomp, show of tinsel, and pasteboard ceremony; Avas planned to conceal the fact , that behind the barricades, behind the .soldiers guarding the route, there was a . sweltering mass of poverty that woiild disgrace a- savage nation. . . . . -♦ . j nnilE echoes of the judicial assassina* -a-- tion of Dr. Kotoku and his cararades are still to be heard all" .over Japan. In the Diet recently, Mr. Innkai, one of the Progressive, leaders,- even though he supported the Government for taking "this decisive step" against the Socialists, was forced to admit that the Government' had gone too far in suppressing the new movement. ]n the course of his he said: —"The So- . cialists all over the country are greatly Jbieensed by the harsh measures adopted by the police. Socialism represents phases ■of thought that are almost' universal to-day, and the notion that Socialistic ideas are capable .of being suppressed by policemen is quite absurd, The authorities ©eni' out detectives ail over the country with instructions to hunt down ■'Socialism of any and every kind. So far was the persecution carried that scores of people were hindered from pursuing their callings by police surveillance or interference. . An indiscriminate condemnation of books supposed to contain the germs of Socialism was part of the programme followed b;v the authorities.' Even the discovery of , the word "society" was the signal lor a police attack on it." . ■ . $. '„'' NEW ZEALAND papers, in describing the launching of the Dreadnought, the "gift" of New Zealand, said: "It was a moment full of religion." Won-' derful, is it not, what" sentiments are inspired at moments such as thc-ye. One would: naturally imagine that as tbe spectators watched that huge hulk gliding into the water the thought of its real purpose would have crossed their minds instead of a wave of "religion. 5. The thought' that this giant machine, built at an enormous expense, and to be : paid for ; , by the struggling wage- : slaves and settlers of far-oif New Zealand, was to be \ised ■as an agency forblowing into eternity men of ' other nations should have been uppermost. And, along with the thought of the destruction of human life and of human labour that this murdering -machine entail?*!, might have occurred another thougiit. "VVhy this murder,,- and- why this -destruction? What have the working people, the plain common-folk of New Zealand, to gain by this ruthless .slaughter of our fellowmen in Germany or elsewhere?" When Lady Ward, surrounded by snobs and parasites, murmured the words: "I name you his Ma-" j'es'ty's ship New Zealand; God protect' her; may she never be colled upon to engage in battle, but should it be otherwise, I pray that victory will be hers,* , the reflection might well have crossed the mind: Verily is the name of the Most High used to further the interest* of Mammon. - ___ $ ,

THE decision of the Auckland Tram* way Union, by the substantial majority of 279 votes to: 17, to become affiliated; to the N.Z.F.E. ; in preference to 1 the '■ Trades Council is an indication of . how; the workers are beginning to look upon the old sectional for in of organisation. This victory is all the more decisive because of delegates from the Auckland Council, in;addition to' Mr. W. T. Mills, waiting upon the union and giving an outline of their particular ideas of organisation. The value the Auckland; men placed upon those ideas may be gathered from the 17 votes cast 'in favour of the T. and L. Council. It'is interesting, and understandable too, to note that of all the centres Auckland ■ leads the way for industrial \mionism. This can be accounted, for through the fact of the splendid industrial propaganda carried on in that city by H. Scott-Bennett and other sterling advocates of One Big Union. Following the tramwaymen the Auckland Watensidere have decided in favour of the N.Z.F.L., and it only awaits the decision of the Waterside Federation, before taking the final plunge.