P. H. Hiskey on Organisation and Agreements— Representative Views.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 51, 1 March 1912, Page 7

P. H. Hiskey on Organisation and Agreements — Representative Views.

The Dangers Ahead, and Now.

By TOM BUOODWORTH

Tho article by P. H. Hickey in the issuo of February 9, "Lest we Forget," is timely, and draws attention to one of the dangers that confront the Federation of Labor. Tho writer says the primary object of tho Federation was "the education of the workers iv the principles of industrial organisation." I take it that coupled with the education in the principles, was the application of those principles to industrial affairs in this country. Knowing the principles of Industrial Unionism is not exactly the same thing as putting Industrial Unionism into practice. If only education in the theory of Industrial Unionism was intended, then there was no need for a Federation to do that. Three or four good speakers, a newspaper, and some good literature would have served the purpose of educating tho workers in the theory. But if not only education in theory but education by experience was intended —and I believe it was —then it is time for tho Federation to put its houso in order —to take steps to make its machinery such as will allow of. proper industrial organisation. Now, I do not want it to be undcrtood that I am carping at the Federation and at the work it has done. Far from it. I realise the many difficulties it has had to contend with, and I fully realiso that tbe amount of success that has come to the Federation, both in growth of numbers and in victories won, is a matter- to be proud of. The measure of its success proves beyond the shadow of a doubt, the need that existed right here for such an organisation. But it is, in my opinion, just iv this success that our danger lies. Wo have won victories, but with tho machinery of a Federation of craft unions. It has not been Industrial Unionism; and because we have won with that machinery, thero is a dangerous idea abroad that we can go on winning with it. But that is not so, and cannot be, for several reasons. First, the enemy were unprepared for strikes of any kind. They did not anticipate them. Arbitration had put tho capitalists off their guard, as well as the workers. And so, when a section of the workers struck, the masters wore unprepared, and had to givo way —not to Industrial Unionism, but to craft unionism. They feared a sympathetic strike of craft unions, and they gave way in order to avoid that. But they will not always givo way so easily. They will not always bo unprepared. Capitalists are wise; they see things wonderfully quickly. Used, as they are, to battling with each other in competition for trade, well up in tactics and strategy, they are quicker to learn tho lessons of the strike than the workers are. They know tho weak points of craft unionism ; our men havo told them, for capitalists, it must bo remembered, listen to our speakers and also read our literature. But they do not lotow the weak points of sound Industrial Unionism, because there aro nono to know. Another reason wity we cannot go on winning with craft unionism machinery is because of tho want of knowledge on the part of those who lead and thoso who mako up the craft unions. It is a common thing to hear members of a union say: "Oh, well, if wo don't get what wo want from the Arbitration Court, wo will joiu tho Federation of Labo"—they will get it for us!" That is tho idea—"they will got it for us." And it is a very dangerous idea to bo abroad. The Federation of Labor is not a body of men who are prepared to do scavenger work for the Arbitration Court. Men who wjll joint the Federation in order to get what they want _ for themselves havo not got the rght idea of Industrial Unionism. They constitute a danger —and a very grave danger —that the Federation has to face, and the danger is tho greater because these men arc in the Federation. U these mon could get their demands satisfied by tho Court, they would stay outside the Federation and bo its enemies ; but because the Court will not satisfy them, they come into tho Federation and are —well, friends to themselves. An Industrial Unionist is one who is opposed, to arbitration, even though arbitration satisfied his demands for the thne being. Tho craft union spirit must not haunt the battlefield whore Industrial Unionism and Capitalism aro at war. Men who come into the Federation merely in order to get their little or big grievances against the Arbitration Court settled will attempt to carry on tho craft uniou battle in tho Federation, and that will not do. During a recent war, an officer commanding a regiment of cavalry saw what ho thought to be a fino opportunity to attack the enemy. He charged, and routed that particular portion of the enemy against whom ho charged. But for douic that ho wa» court-mar-

tialled and shot. He had broken discipline. His success had ruined for a time the possibility of the success of the mam army. He put the enemy on their guard, and by taking his men into action he weakened the army ho ! belonged to. There are many such men as that amongst craft union leadens, and some of these, same men are getting into the Federation. And they are dangerous. They do not know what Industrial Unionism moans, and I am afraid they do not want to know. What they are after is victory for themselves. What the Federation is after is victory for the whole class in w hos-e interest the Federation was organised. Yes, there is danger ahead. lam no pessimist, neither do I allow my optimism to blind mc to facts. Tlie Federation must put its machinery in order—and at once! There is no time (o lose. The enemy is on the alert; so many skirmishes have aroused them. The'federation is being turned iiito a scavenger for the Arbitration Court, doing the Court's dirty work. ■This will not do. This will not dol The Federation must be made into an industrial organisation on scientific lines. Tho ghost of craft unionism which haunts it must be banished. Either that, or another organisation will arise, based on sound lines; and if that is forced to happen, then the Fedoration of which we hoped so much, and from which wo had a right to hope so much, because it set out for industrial organisation, will become a stumblingblock in the way of Industrial Unionism, as so many other federations of craft unions have become in other places, and as one other organisation is in this country at the present time. Let us get busy! Education in the principles, organisation along the lines of those principles, then Action and Victory.