The Uprush from the Bottom.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 35, 3 November 1911, Page 10

The Uprush from the Bottom.

Ben Tillct, of the Dockers' Union), was asked by _\lr. W. T. Stead the reason of the recent great striked Saidf Tillct t: ''It' was an uprush f i'om , U_o boi torn." What is true of Britain is true of other countries."" The workers are becoming more intelligent. They are depending more and n_._ie upon themselves and less .and l__s upon some - would-be Union Moses. Particularly ia this the ca«e iv New Zealand. Prone to regard the official as the Union, some of tbese'-solf-styled "leaders" are receiving .rude shocks. The worker refuses to be" led. . Tie wants to know the reason of things. He refuses to accept his officer's statement as the final word upon in a tiers affecting his welfare. To be quite- candid, "the 'members' of union's arc becoming suspicious of their officers and questioning their actions. It is indeed encouraging to note this unrest, for unrest among unionists must laud them eventually into tho' ranks of Industrial Unionism. An "uprush from the bottom" haf» taken place among the watcrsiders of this Dominion ; _ likewise it is taking place among the railway men, the bootmakers, general laborers, tra.mvaymeii, and others. Dissatisfied and disgusted with their conditions, refusing to ao. cept their "leaders' " statements that, the Arbitration Court is preferable to' any other method, these Unions, the men themselves, are turning to thai Labor Federation, despite frantic appeals on the part of their officers to rafrain from awful extremism. But this movement is inevitable.: Without tlie infusion of more milit'autf and healthier working-class activities into the LUbor movement, uttioirianal

would simply amount to a few spineless officers appealing on behalf of equally spineless members. This militant spirit, as exemplified by the N.Z.F.L., came upon the scone like alb new movements, to meet with, the bitter hostility of the leaders of the old-time organisation. Founded by men who were not tainted Avith officialism and arbitrationism —men from "below" ■ —it forced its a. ay, into the arena and compelled recognition from those who regarded it as anathema. Dissatisfied unionists looked to it Avith hope in their hearts, examined it and accepted it. To-day there is not a union of note but has in its ranks men agitating and propagating on behalf of the N.Z.F.L. And here let us note that all niOA'exncnts which have accomplished anything worthy the name haA'c come from the "bottom." From men and women freed from the hobbles of procedure or custom, but conscious of their requirements and determined to get them. The actions of the employing class and their hirelings—the Press —are Avorthy of notice. Hitherto treating the craft unions as their deadly foes, they- now throw a protecting arm around them, to shelter -them, from the propaganda of the N.Z.F.L. They haA*e suddenly discovered ay hat a splendid thing for the workers ''safe" unionism of the arbitration type is; what a .deadly foe to the "best interests of tlie AYorkers" is the" J..Z.F.L., and. so the old, old game of misrepresentation ay ill go on just a little longer.

But a ncAV factor has entered the j&eld—a determining factor, too, and ■that is the unionist himself. .A strange creature truly to the eyes of plutocracy -. one aa_io refuses to be satisfied by glib statements y he Avants -£acts. A most annoying state of affairs for our little Moses friends, but One they have to face and recognise. Throughout New Zealand the examiner is becoming more numerous, and *c welcome him and hail him comrade.

It is to the inquiring men to whom Aye look for history to be mafcle: these men with horny hands and rough of speech, but with the determination to do tilings in their hearts. ' And just in proportion to their awakening are the ranks of the N.Z.F.L. strengthening. Soon, will see this movement from the ranks spread and spi-ead with wonderful rapidity. Editors prostituting their brains for hire, ministers prostituting their Master's teaching, or Fat entrenched behind privilege and caste will be unable to prevent this "uprush from below." It will be the Army of Labor coming into its own. It will be the consummation of Labor's pilgrimage.