The Call of Labor.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 54, 22 March 1912, Page 8

The Call of Labor.

''However, there is oik* consoling thought.—Unit whatever lighter falls, or fails, or lle-cs, the Labor movement: will

Mit pause, bu', progress."

Thf'se words, written b,v a sturdy champion a i<>w hours beforw his departure for the Giv:it Hevond, illustrate that devotion and lnytilty to a eau.s-o which lie at the root of Labor's ad-

vanci-iin'iit. lv penning those lines;, nitb thy certain knowledge that his sphere- of activity, and nid-erel his life, was drawing to a rapid cloy, Mr. Dale, demonstrated tliat lie was in the grip of that force with which Labor chains its adherents.

AVl'.at is that Something in tho work-ing-class movement which liolds nu'ji and wonvMi to it with letters tiian si'-i'l'f What v< that mysterious powrtt- wliHi forces men and wonion la a&iurii* and organise! tho members of th'-'ir class despite jil>e ami insult from ili-.it class itself? How account for J .hal. tenacity of purpose whioli make** ni'ii and women persevere in their selfimposi'd task wljnn their share of re>.vard is ]>ase innuendo or the cni»l "jccusations which fall from t ! i- foul 'ips ol' slander? Ail great movements, it is true, have hucn inaugurated by th? soli-sacrifice and enthusiasm of its d.M-otc-os ; but hi most cases it will be found that tho In-.is of that enthusiasm and that self-sai-riJK,. was fanaticism born of a belief in the .supernnhn-'ii. Hut the religious enthusiasm of the devout and ihe v.e:d of tho fighter in tho Labor innvi-'mer.t cannot be qiiniv:! as parallel. On. , is ihe outcome of mysticism ; (h« other the. outoom.- oi reason applitwj t<, evryday aiFairs. Tho average Labi; , agii.ai.jr knows full woll that his participation in the light will lead to no h:ilo iji the Vnknown, but will rather lead to cruel persecution hero, and now. Despite this knowledge, lie cheerfully c-arrios out his labor of love. Often it has been said by some warrior in the social battle, who has borne the brunt of the blacklist times out of ];ut!)!v.t: "I'll tiJcy m rest. There in nothing in tin's agitation but. insult and injury. Someoiio else r.iay have my jdaco." For a lit lie win!.- thf.re is a familiar face missing from the front rank of the. soldiers of the common cause; but the Call of Labor proves too strong; tho magneti-m of the movement tugs tho heart-strings of the erstwhile warrior, and back ho plunges into the fray with redoubled vigor. And so tho movement grwa on, The persistent battlers (or Labor's cots© at times grow weary, thinking their energies p.;-;. lo. : ;t and wasted, but a spark of revolt, a stir of nnliUui.'-y in the ranks, cheers and oj.couragf.s a liobK , vml to greater effort and mightie-r eiv'.'[■aviir. The [-'.■ling of righieuisn.'s,:; atul of !:w.iu-e, tho resull of investigation into the basis of society, mak«.s the s.il-di<-r in the p>':>pk''s tauso of co'irage to (Lire and do. Tin:- knowledge born of conviction in the justness of a r;ui--e sn'ves to the Labor movt-meiiL tiia , .. .stability which makes iis :!,!;;(!<•:■: , !..'!■! in v!h"> fac-e of fearful o(1do and tiiuiuph in tho k-oth of J;f I S'-Clli i lii. And in Iliis fight that w.', r ,e.s Tnthont <e.'!.sii,'.;, giv.),vi;,g' iti-~>ie biller in proj;,-.: 1 !!.:; i.> Li'.bfii' 1 ;' g:;:n, for one v)\:> r.-,v:''.:es Ihe. liinclii-bt. tliere are liioii-.; , . ills of lif-'T-.ic souls vho do the v.'i.-ik v. !;i ■'] n::i!:es • \<<? liir.e]i;.;h! pn:.-:-,ililc. They a I" , - Hie real heroes—4h-:.-ir lives a fijiiLiniiaL ii;;M Pu/aiji.st tyranny nn<l oppressi:)!!, and th.-.'-ir vMrl the 'jolil.udt' of n lone!;,- tomb. In this sordid nj.'e (if cominci H.ilism, wiicn wii.-i art- developed to scheme, to plot and plan for personal gain; when society regards as the hallmark of suneriority tho finnncial .'•■.l:jtus of tho individual, it says much for the inherent, go'id:'! - of humanity that there are in.-v and women who calmly tciT.nince those things held necessary to bo classed as a success, and sock the upliftmont of tho poor and lowly. Then at the ond of a life spent in the cause of humanity, when tdio hand of death is placed upon the shoulder of its victim, the last thoughts turn

l<i tiio iLon-niciu t(t which a life !w9 lieen consecrated.

The Cull o i j. ; ihor, that inysU'rioua jiou.-r which imlds tll <Mt m tlirali, id clitinin:iitL to Llni end.