THE DOMINION'S ONE ENEMY.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 8947, 12 October 1907, Page 2

THE DOMINION'S ONE ENEMY.

Growing Socialism of the Labour Party. Arbitration Act Criticised. Per Press Association. Dunedin, October 11. The annual meeting of the Otago Employers’ Association was held this afternoon, Mr J. C. Thomson (President) being in the chair. Tho annual report stated that tho Association could claim to represent practically tho whole of tho employers in Dunedin and suburbs and in concluding said :—“'The one enemy which threatens the interests of the Dominion generally and that of the employers in particular ■is the growing Socialism of the Labour Party. It is manifest that before long the Independent Socialistic Labour Party, whose aim will be to exploit Parliament in the interests of one class to the exclusion of all others, will have to be contended with. It therefore behoves tho employers to strengthen their organisations and to maintain their finances, so that they may he ready to meet all emergencies.” The chairman’s address dealt , mainly with the Arbitration Act, the speaker contending that the Act could never fulfil the purposes for which it was created. It was an Act that was to be used for purposes of intervention when a strike was imminent. They knew, however, too well and to their cost, that it had never been used m that way, but in totally different directions; to the demoralising of the working classes tod the weakening of the friendly relations that should exist between employers and employees. He held that an Act which could not bo enforced absolutely should not long cumber our Statute Book. It had been a very expensive experiment, and stood condemned as a failure. The position reached to-day was that persistent efforts were being made to prevent young people from learning trades, to prevent elderly men and those unable to claim first-class rank from earning their livelihood, to seriously reduce the efficiency of labour, to lower effort, to destroy ambition, to repel capital, and to widen the breach between capital and labour instead of promoting their working in harmony. The widening of the breach was being steadily increased, and was being accentuated by the tactics of the Labour Party and the progaganda of the Political Labour League. Employers must therefore see the necessity for an ever increased vigilance.

Mr J. C. Thompson was re-elected president, and Messrs B. Chisholm and J. W. Henton were re-appointed vice-presi-dents. Messrs B. Chisholm, J. W. Henton, C. W. Eattray, and J. C. Thomson were elected to the Federation Executive.