Flings at Things.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 87, 15 November 1912, Page 1

Flings at Things.

The wage-slaves are waking up

They are casting off the brutal "bangles" of Boodledom and the cauterising chains of Capitalism.

They are beginning to think and to feel that they are something more than mere spineless, soulless slaves.

Ready on the slightest provocation to cringe and kow-tow to the bosses with reverential mien and bended kneo.

To be at the beck and call of the employers every blessed minute of their working lives,

To come and go as their masters dictate, to be put on or put off at the Whim of the bosses.

At a nod from the latter to touch the forelock, humbly bow and scrape, and with a "Yes, sir; here, sir! What can I do, sir?" fall over one another in their frantic eagerness to be first to do their masters' bidding. No; they are learning to stand upright ; they are acquiring the independence that consciousness of freedom and manhood gives. * # * We have had many instances in New Zealand of late of the New Spirit that is possessing the workers. They have manifested their realisation of the fact that they axe Men and not subject slaves by knocking off work to discuss union matters, to demonstrate against imprisonment of strikers, and for other purposes. This is one of the most hopeful and heartening signs of the times. The Wanganui County Council discussed this new independence of the workers at a recent meeting, to the •accompaniment of sobs and lamentations. The chairman brought up the question, saying it was so serious that it was worthy of the consideration of the Council. Great difficulty was found in carrying out the works this spring, owing to the scarcity of labor. Men thought nothing of breaking an agreement, and the Council was there- I fore hampered very much. Men would enter into an agreement to start work, and then would not turn U PPrivate employers also suffered a good deal from this. . The trouble to-day was not in the principle amongst the men. Mr. Mannington (the clerk and engineer), remarked that he had engaged 20 men for work in the country. They had promised to go, yet not one had kept his promise. Cr. Fletcher said he knew of a farmer who had engaged five successive men, and not one had turned up. Cr. Higgie instanced a casn where he had engaged a man to work oni his farm, about five miles from Wanganui, and where the train passed very frequently. But the man declared it was "too dull," and went back to town. And so on. 'Twonld melt the heart of a .cabbage or bring tears to the eyes of a potato. * • * The same spirit among the workers is abroad in Australia, and the employers , are squealing like a stuck pig as a consequence thereof. Hark to the wail of Mr. John Archibald, described as "a builder of 32 years' standing," giving evidence before the House Rents Commission in, Sydney recently. "The way men worked now would ' break one up. "They came when they liked and 1 went w-hen they liked. ! "He dare not say a word to them, , and if he ■ went out to a job and saw ' something wrong he knew better than to say anything." Makes you want to shout "Hooray!" doesn't it? < There was a sting in the tail of his £ remarks, however. said he: "The class of workman today was not half so good as in the old time." * * • Not half so good! What a libel! The workman of the present is every

whit as good as the workman of the past.

In fact, lie is generally far superior to his predecessor.

For the workman of to-day is a chap of individuality and personal force.

I With the spread of. education and the development of his thinking powers, s however, has come the knowledge that he is something more than a metre 3 machine, with no other purpose in life i than to grind out profits for his employers." There are other things in life for him than incessant, unremitting, ill-requited 1 "yakker"—and! be knows it! •» * • * r As in the old time I Oh, the good old times of the good old days. Did the good old times of which the 3 old-stagers are for ever singing the praises, ever exist? a Distance lends enchantment, of \ course, but it seems incredible that anyj one could call the times of 80 or 60 years ago "good." In view of the wonderful advances 5 since made in education, invention, sanitation, medicine, surgery, etc., etc. Men like Archibald sigh for the times . of old because the workers then were I dumb-driven cattle. Whereas'iiow they are beginning ito bo MENI w ». ar ' Apropos, the South Australian Com- ' missioner of Crown Lands at a Chamber of Manufactures soiree in Adelaide the other day said: \ "South Australia was never built up by the principle of how many hours we ', can get off from work and how much wages we can get. "People in the past were pleased to make the full use of daylight, and were not so concerned about the wages as about the interests of the men who ' employed them!" Fancy that,* now. What's to be "did"? In the words of a local jingler: "Let us get) back,to the good old times when the Fat Man reigned supreme, When the thoughts of unions and discontent was only an ugly dream; When the corpulent gent, gave what ha chose to the toiler as daily pay, And the worker thought it an honor to) graft for 16 hours a dayt They cared not then for sport and dress, and money was merely dross; The only aim that the worker had wast how he could help the bossl" But "It's no use kicking J A —jaydfcM&jP -rr-jrlcJ has ißtxni&Hßߣk£ The 'working bnUf-sJ-V-^tht^ilßlPlJßP 11 * learnt his rightful place. It may seem hard for the bosses to find they are not kings, But evolution brings along a change N in'man ythings; And principal among them is that Eafl has lost his- hold— The ancient market place is closed!-* HE CAN'T BUY SLAVES FOB! GOLD!" ■ * « Another one of the same breed as the] builder aforesaid was a baker, who un* burdened himself to a similar tune at the recent Federal Master Bakers' oo«h ference in Melbourne. His name wasn't cabled to this side, so we can't place it on record to secure for him a place on the roll of immortals. He declared that "the greatest" combine that existed was the Trade*'HalL "Master bakers in Sydney had to take off their hats and say to the work* men: 'Would you mind coming to worW to-morrow?'" Surely the time is coming fast wheat recent visitor King's prognostication! (6 to 4 Prognostication) will be realised. The whistle will blow for the worker* to go to work, and only the boss "wUs respond to the shriek. 'Tis terrible to contemplate, isn't it. Mr. Boss? ' Weep for the woes of the masters. A few tears, please, Printer. Just a few big inky ones to show w# commiserate with the employers In the? awful future before 'em. • • • 1 1 i Thanks very much—there's nothing like a good cry to relieve one's feelings.