"Professors" All.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 75, 16 August 1912, Page 7

"Professors" All.

PRASE Ft IN EXPLANATION. GOOD OPEN-AIR MEETING AT GISBORNE. A crowd of from three to four hundred interested men and women listened for two -hours in the open-air at Gi-borne on Saturday night, 3rd inst., to the Federation of Labor delegates I telling the plain, unvarnished truth re- < garding the situation at Reefton anl Waihi, as well as explaining the principles for which the Federation stood and fought. "Professor" J. Sullivaa acted os chairman, and in his short address dealt I with the strike and lock-out, and the les-ons to be derived from them, and emphasised _|_-_c_»s3„.y let closer a_<-" more-- thorough organising on the lm-.-s of industrial unionism. He was one of the miners locked-out at Waiuta, and he knew that the only alternative to victory was submission to intolerable conditions in the mines. "Professor" P. Fraser, president Auckland General Laborers, dealt in whole-hearted fashion with what he described as the "Superstition of the Press," making special reference to a leading article in the "Poverty Bay Herald," which he suggested ought to dTop out the second word in the title page. The name might then approximate to the poverty of intellect, honesty, and judgment exhibited by this sheet. The superstition of the press would go the way of all superstitions just as soon as the workers grasped the message of the Federation. They had decided to call themselves "Professors" henceforth. The chairman was a "Professor," Bill Parry was a "Professor," he was a "Professor." The crowd could all be "Professors" if they cared to. It was a title conferred upon them not by any academic coterie, nor by any particular section of the people, nor by the whole of the people, but simply by themselves. In taking this course they were merely following the excellent and illustrious example of the United Labor Party's medicine man. "Professor" Bill Parry gave firsthand information about Waihi and also explained the Reefton troubles. "Professor" Bill dealt with the popper drill, the competitive contract system, and the other questions in dispute. The crowd cheered enthusiastically when he referred to the solidarity shown by both men and women in the struggle. He replied in detail to the Conciliation Commissioners on the lines appearing in the interview published elsewhere in this issue.

Questions were asked and answered Collection taken up, £4 Is.

Thought, once awakened, does not again slumber. Begin to think.