From a Wharf Lumper's Point of View.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 83, 11 October 1912, Page 2

From a Wharf Lumper's Point of View.

"We won't strike for the sake of causing trouble, for a strike is the last resort of desperation, but we'll strike for the sake of self-protec-tion, or, you may call it more accurately, for self-preservation.

Such was the gist of what a wharf lumper told a "Star" reporter the other day. The man was a kindly-spoken fellow, in whose voice were tones of regret when he spoke of the suffering entailed by strikes, but in whose eyes there glimmered the reflection of a deep-burn-ing resentment when he referred to oppression and the need for the workers adopting effective methods of self-pre-servation. VLj- spoke freely, though aware i-hat ho was speaking to a reporter. . He reviewed the. whole situation in respect to the Waihi strike, the Federation, and arbitration procedure, and also tho political aspect of the present crisis. The following is the substance of what he said: —

The mnjority of the members of the Dtiiv-di'i wpterKi'dp workers are in favor </ the Federation, despite the result of

J \ie .'-cent !.allot. That ballot did not <*>-.:press the nttijkido of the members of the union, not even of those who recorded their votes- The issue on the ballot papers was misleading, and at least 50 members of the union could be found about the wharves who would state that they unknowingly voted for withdrawal from the Federation, for they were in reality strongly in favor of sticking to the Federation. The next ballot will tell a different tale from the last one. A big majority will vote to remain in the Federation.

Why should the Dunedin wharf lumpers strike in sympathy with the Waihi miners? Rather, why should they not strike? Every Federation man is coming out as a protest against tlie imprisonment at Waihi of men" who have not violated the law. They are being illegally sent to jail. That is the Waihi menu's experience to-day; it might be ours to-morrow. It is merely in the interests of self-preservation that we intend to stick to the Federation.

A precedent is being established at Waihi, and will be established if work-ing-men lie down to the attempt that is being made to place their necks under the employers? heels. The precedent that the police force of the Dominion is being concentrated at Waihi to establish is that in future when a strike is declared the union executive officers will be immediately imprisoned if they decline to enter into a bond not to point out to blacklegs that blacklegging is a black business at best, and is simply treachery to one's class, besides dishonorable, and a strengthening of the shackles of subjection for one's self. Those weaklings, are going to experience a "shake," and it will do them good, for they will learn that their real welfare is to be secured by sticking to one's class and unitedly resisting oppression.

The Waihi miners who are being imprisoned have not even made any section of the community suffer because t f their strike. Nobody in New Zealand has gone cold or hungry because the Waihi miners have not been digging gold to ship to London. Had the community been suffering in any way through the strike there might have been an excuse for drastic methods being adopted to end it. But there is no such excuse in this case. The only 3uf-feilrrg"causc-d fey tlv& a-t-rM^-is-tfftit the"dividends of London speculators have experienced a curtailment since the strike has been on. The sympathy extended to those speculators by the present New Zoaland Government on account of a temporary cessation of Waihi dividends has resulted in the swamping of the Waihi district by police from all parts. The ostensible reason is the protection of "free laborers" from the possibility of their being enlightened as to the real character of blaekleggiiig. The presence of the police is calculated to serve the purpose of To*Qsing the miners as a red rag may be used to infuriate a bull and tempt h'm to rush headlong over an unobsearvable precipice fo destruction. The Waihi miners are being baited. And if the Governrnenu and tlie employers get away with this illegal imprisonment of men who have not violated the law no union of workers will be safe. Workers will be thrown into jail and treated as criminals simply because they will not submit to the degrading process of binding themselves over to keep the •peace which they havo nc. intention of disturbing. In the present crisis the working men want to stand by each other. It is a fight that is going to determine whether the members of a laborers' union are to enjoy the privileges enjoyed by the members of, say, doctors' and lawyers' unions, institutions which are usually termed associations or institutes., and which enable members tq restrict entry thereto, and to deoline to work for anyone do not wish. We are going to stand by th. Waihi miners, because in doing so we are asserting our right to strike and the right, you might say. to live.

If we want Is. 3d. per hour for our labor and the employer won't give ts it, what are we to do? Are we not to have the right to cease work? Apnly to the Arbitration Court, you say. No; we have lost, faith in that court, and not without reason. Sir Joseph Ward turned it into an employers' institution, wherein union representatives were browbeaten by the presiding judge. The Port Chalmers Waterside Workers' Union, a year or two ago, experienced the undefendable nature of the Arbitration Court. Through their lawyers, the union moved to havo certain clauses in an ag'-eement modified In some way. The lawyers were notified by the Arbitration oourt that all proceedings in respect to the clauses in question would be suspended until the Court or the Judp-e came to Dunedin in a short time. The union were satisfied to wait, but they experienced a shock when in a d-ny or two $ telegram arrived stating that the agreement in question had been signed by the Judge, and the sisming included the nutting into operation, in an unmodified form, of the clauses in respect to which the Judge was to find out on his arrival in Dunedin if they were likely, to be fair and workable. What faith could a union have in the Arbitration Court after that? Then look at the case of-the Reefton strike. The Arbitration Court award tta-fp stipulated that two men shall work the runner drill, bnt a Mr. '--r- ' Pouth Africa says one man shall fork it ['■■Mr. Jackson" is evidently a slip of the tongue or pen. Substitute the name of Winter Evans nnd msrvonsibiiitv for such v.v. nrr*v T -is !>«•»■*»»>>•** upon the riq;ht ir-divH-.v-1.-- ?d M."7 •> Why don't the in 4h?4 case compel the t >-•*!';■>:••:•■* ii-irs io ?on\\\; with t-he Arbitration Of*-; ». the Government see": te '.>.-■• reservi?*-: compulsion for the miners. The Arbitration Court reduced the wages at the main ship-repairing work at Port Chalmers by 3d. per hour; the Fedejatkw*has increased the lumpers' Don't

Waihi Strike and Unionist Imprisonments.

you begin to see why the wharf workers will stick by the Federation? It's plain.

_ne great antagonism to the Federation of Labor is because the Federation is a live institution. If it were dead nobody would trouble about it. The employers are afraid of it. And yet it is hardly the employers themselves, for they raise their prices so as to make a profit of the increases of wage 9 brought about by the Federation. The bitterest hatred to the Federation ia shown and expressed by the employers' "bosses." These bosses have been earning comfortable wages so long in connection with bossing. the workers that they resent any attempt that the workers may make with a view to protecting themselves against being any longer victimised. These bosseß are bitter. They -hate to observe any indication of the worm's inclination to turn. Yet you seemed surprised to hear we w*re likely to stand by the Federation.

The workers are merely attempting to free themselves from the tyranny of the bosses, and also from the tyranny of a Government that prohibits a laborer from using his union funds (which he has subscribed) to help a member of another union who may be in trouble. What else but tyranny would make such a law P Another man is in trouble today; I may be in trouble to-morrow. Why should the law of the land prohibit us from helping each other? Is it fair? They teach my children at school to sing "Briton 9 never shall be slaves," yet tbe powers that be prevent mc from helping my fellow when he is in trouble, and when a strike is on they'll imprison mc because I won't voluntarily make r criminal of myself by finding sureties to keep the peace, which I have no intention of breaking. It's not right; it's not fair. Don't you think it's Tip to us to "come out" in connection with the Waihi strike? ■•■■.-

■ Lastly, but not least, is lihe point for which we are going to fight till the last drop. That point is that workers are no longer going to put up with abuse from the bosses. The cursing and swearing at the workers and the using objectionable terms towards them must be put an end to. It must cease. Workers after this are to be spoken to civilly. How would you like to have a boss shout down the hatchway of a vessel where you are working with other men that if you can't do better you had better, come up and send your wffe down ? The men ceased work On a big steamer at the Dunedin wharf this afternoon, put on their coats and walked ashore because an official used a grossly objectionable term towards them. And they did not go back aboard until the official oame down on the wharf and apologised for his insult. Laborers may not be worth much in the opinion of those who live by victimising them, but the victims are going to have civility extended to them. Are you beginning to see why we are coming out as a protest against imprisoning the strikers at Waihi?,

Politically, the Waihi business has served to open the workers.' eyes in respect to the of the""Reform" Government.' The '90 strike put into power the political party which rescued New Zealand from a state of soup kitchens. The imprisoning of labor union officials put the Labor party in power throughout Australia. The Waihi strike imprisoning is the first item in a contemplated programme of coercion which New Zesland, arid put in'poW- a political Labor party. Thenour laws will protect the Weak as well as the strong, and justice shall be meted out irrespective of wealth or poverty. Can't you see why we are likely to "come out" in order to express our sympathy with the imprisoned st/ikers at Waihi and to ensure for ourselves self-preservation P We're all in the same boat, and we must pull together.— Dunedin "Star,"