"GET TOGETHER."

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17688, 28 July 1919, Page 7

"GET TOGETHER."

<8» RELATIONS OF CAPITAL AND LABOUR. APPEAL FOR MUTUAL TRUST AND ' GOODWILL, - . ADDRESS BY HON. T. M. WILFORD. Matters of special • interest at the present time in view of the after-the-war problems to be faced were dealt with by the Hon. T. M. Wilford in an address at the Petono Peace Celebrations on Saturday (says tho Welington Post). Mr Wilford said: "Those who preach the divinity of discontent, and put forward no constructive ideas are as muclr an enemy of tho State as the profiteers and the idle. To endeavour to discredit constitutional action is to endeavour to produce chaos. Let us use every endeavour to make our country Al and not C2. We Want a national conforenca of employers, tradeunions, and Government departmental representatives to work out a national industrial policy and find out what machinery is required to make it effective and helpfuL ' Our strength in the future will b© the announcement of a bold, definite, and convincing policy administered in- a humane way by strong men, who realise tho necessities of tho hour and the age. Leak-etop-ping is at- the best a pitiful expedient, and, as Will Crooks says, 'The prayers of' a Uovcrnmont Departmsnt are likely to bo unavailing if not accompanied by repent ance and effort. . Class hatred and indus-'"■' trial warfare will never bring prosperity"' and happiness; while the war has shown, us that no amount of physical force can ultimately pravail against principle, for forco and principle are inherently antagonistic. Surely the war lias taught' us that the world should be free for all peoples jand .ill classes; and statesmen worthy ths name in the future must seethat we neither buttress old privileges nor establish new ones. Tho capitalist and the labourer must bo considered in the future ' as citizens. I have no faith that the war' will create a new world. Let us devote bur best efforts to improving the old There are impossible men in the ranks of" Labour ■ and m the tents of Capitalism. These' are' the present obstacles open to the mass' of the people Lot us lift the -barriers whicK ' nas divided captains and privates of in-' dustry into hostile camps and hindered proand realiee that a man works best when hm work wins him comfort, personal recognition, respect, honour, and reasonable leisure.. .. -V. CO-OPERATION OF LABOUR AND' CAPITAL. ■

c do ; n^ t believe that the co-operation" t .j -F'lT . and 0 " 1 " & impossible. 1 admit that co-operation on the old terms ie impossible; and believe that in the future' tho capitalist must take less and- the kbourer must get more for bis production.' 10, deny that fundamental basis for the" new regime means failure from the outset ine time was nevsr so opportune as now tor a serious attempt to be made to arrive' at an amicable understanding and a work--;', based on mutual trust arid" goodwill. Never mind what the difficulties" are, though they appear insuperable;" re'l"' member that the price of industrial unity"' can never be won without a struggle.' The' national conference will not cure all ills v but, if it cures some of the ills, itr will leave less to fight about afterwards. Trades unionists, I feel certain, would meet employers and departmental representatives, and after each had told the other frankhk wnat they thought of the position, they ' could settle down to business. If there ' are any men in this country whose livingdepends on the maintenance of industrial 1, stnie and whose mission is. one of ; disrub-~ tion and anarchy, I dot not, of course;: ex*?, p-ect their co-operation. None of my worded will appeal to them, but I believe'deepdown in the hearts of the majority of the;;. JNew Zealanders there is a genuine -loveot country and a wish for industrial peacoV and, though I agree that the old commis-'. Bion of things must change and profits in business undertakings must be differently apportioned, yet I think there is room for a conference, room for discussion, room tor give-and-take, and room for conoes-!; sions without disrupting the foundations upon which trading rests. ;•..,.w,< LABOUR IS CAPITAL. • "Profit-sharing and co-partnership is at the best a partial* palliative. Th& casuallabour problem is the hurdle at which such . a scheme must baulk. We must learn to deal with labour as if it is capital—for it is capital. That cannot be denied; and we must realise that the political doctrine' to-day is one of collective interest I believe the war has made most of us lesspetty and has taught us mutual ■ depend-ence,"self-sacrifice, tolerance, and goodwill I agree with Dr Brent where he says, 'The . day is past for individualistic effort to hehvr mankind. Let us, therefore, get to-. gether. " . ' ' :t.& ■.-■■.-.*»■ xf