Blessings of Blacklegism.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 79, 13 September 1912, Page 5

Blessings of Blacklegism.

"A POOR CREATURE."

The St. Louis, carrying the mails from New York to England, arrived at Plymouth two days late last week. SII3 was manned by a blackleg crew, many of whom fell sick and were unable to perform their duties. It was necessary for saloon stewards and others to volunteer as firemen and to do the work cf the stokehold in order to complete the voyage. Even then, as we have said, the vessel was two days late, and easily beaten by the other liners, tho George Washington and tho Majestic, which left New York at the same time. This should bo a useful object lesson to travellers and the general public, many of whom are inclined to sneer sceptically when -■'.•;-;rued against the shortcoming-?, of blacklc-gs. Yet such a h~~ on >.hon!d he as unnoc-p.*-•"■.•■■ ry a" till warnings. We do not feel that bitter '■aired of blacklegs to which some of our friends give expression. Our sentiment' is rather 0110 of pity and contempt. As a general rule, the blackleg is a poor creature, driven to blacklcgisin by sheer stress of circumstances. In some few instances it is quite possible that he may be as good a workman as the man he supplants. Rutin the majority of cases it stands to reason that blacklegs arc morally and physically inferior to the strikers Otherwise they would not be ready and willing to blackleg. For the most part they are outcast?, to whom a strike affords their only onportuuitv of turning an "honest" penny. While we. cannot but pity them, we rejoice when the capitalists who make use of them, and the public who tolerate their use, are made to suffer in consequence.—"•?*"-*•■ tice," July 27.