Workers and War.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 35, 3 November 1911, Page 16

Workers and War.

$ By CITIZEN.

Sir Joseph Ward must credit the Avorkers of New Zealand with very little intelligence or common sense if he imagines that they will swalloAV the piffle ladled out to them on Dominion Day. Said this titled individual: ,; If war should come, the first men to feel the need of defence would be the men who earn their bread by the SAA'eat of their broAvs." It is quite true that in the eA'ent of a successful iiiA'asiou of this country a great many men would have to earn their broad by the SAveat of their h-roAvs, who iioav earn it by the sweat of other people's brows, and lam afraid they would have a A r ery hungry time of it. Among the number there Avould probably be some members of Parliament, laAvyers, commission agents, titled nobodies, parsons, avoavsers ,speculators, and other social parasites, but the genuine Avorking man Avould have little to fear from such competitors. j It is amusing to reflect on the varied . and contradictory attitudes adopted toAvards the manual worker: when he a say in the management of municipal or other local affairs, he is met by the retort :"You have no stake in the country; you have no property to be conserved; yo.u have nothing that could be seized to satisfy a public liability ; if bad times or troubles of any kind arise, you have only to roll up your SAvag and step on board the first outAvard-bound ship." Contrast this with the wheedling eloquence of our only baronet, descanting on this" unique gem set in the southern seas, this beautiful country which it is our privilege to defend, etc., etc. (for the benefit of Bull., Cohen and Co., the oAvners). ■Kipling's, lines are appropriate : .......' "It's Tommy this and Tomwjy that, And chuck him out, the brute; .. - But it's saviour of his country, .Whoa the guns begin to shoot,"