UNITY SCHEME

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 45, 19 January 1912, Page 18

UNITY SCHEME

E. J. Howard of Christchtirch in n letter to the "Lyttelton Times" last week, writes of the "Unity Scheme as follow?:— S; r ._"D.G.S." in the Labour Column on Saturday last regarding the above: "It is fortunate that at a momnit like this, when the country is awaitin" the advent of a powerful Laliour Party that can justly rlaiin its confidence, 'we have got in our midst a man of such recognised ability and special organising capacity as Professor Mills." , , ~ Personally, I think it is a calamity for ilie workmen that this gentleman is hero at this nart.ie.ular moment. Recently there has been evidence that the rank and file were becoming restless, and there was a tendency to kle* some of the leaders off their backs. For a mini her of years we have been paying enormous sums for leadership. At' the present time we are paying something like eighteen thousand pounds per annum for secretaries and oflic-e accommodation.

Now, along comes our American friend with another draining scheme. The late Labour member has been appoiiHfd an additional organiser. The rank and file with their average wage of two pounds per week will take sides mul we shall be kept apart for aiioth<. i , decade and there will be no unity. It looks somewhat hopeless to a hoticnii dog like mc, who has been si niggling along trying to live honestly fin an income much below the average. I represent thousands of workers in this country, who occupy a like posit ion, and now here is the Pi<>!< ssor with a scheme that the wiiier of tlus "'Notes" says is scientific. Now must bo based on truth, and this scheme has not got truth at its base. Take, for instance, the names of the gentlemen attached to the latest manifesto. Those names arc used in such a way that they are calculated to mislead the workers into believing that the various organisa tions or federations which they belong to hfivo approved of the unity scheme. And it is not a fact. In no case has it been approved. My own name way attached to this business long beforo I had seen the scheme and I immediately wired my resignation to the Dominion Executive as a protest against such Yankee methods. —I am, etc., E. J. HOWARD.

In his memoirs H. M. Hyndman thus describee the foundation of "Justice/ , the organ of the Social Demoeratio Federation:— "We started well. Morris, Shaw, Hubert Bland, and Mrs. Bland, Joyncs, Salt, Champion, Helen Taylor, and others made up a good staff; the paper itself was well printed, and the whole effect of it was good. But the trouble was with the circulation. We did not meet a longfelt wairb, that's certain. In fact, well rs it might be written, it wns a purely propaganda sheet, dealing with questions that the mass of mankind di>; not wish to have thrust upon them. Those were the days when none of i>. 1 wero above doing anything. We distributed bills, took collectionSj bawled ourselves hoarse at street corners, and sold "Justice" down Flwifc Street and the Strand. This last was really a mosb extraordinary venture. It was a. curious scene. Morris in his soft hat and blue suit, Champion, Frost, and Joynes in the morning garments of the well-to-do, several working-men comrades, and 1 myself wearing the now frock-coat iv which Shaw said 3 was born, with a tall hat and good gloves, all earnestly engaged in selling a penny Socialist paper during the busiest tirao in the day in London's busiest thoroughfare.