The Labour World.

Southland Times, Issue 18822, 15 May 1920, Page 10

The Labour World.

.(Conducted by D. Scott)

Co-operation. —We hear a great deal nowadays about initiative, executive ability, etc, connected chiefly with those who are running a business, but the following account of how the miners on the West Coast rose to the occasion when their paper was burnt but shows that when the average man gets a chance he is as capable not only of initiative and enthusiasm hut of self-socritice as well. The Grey River Argus is owned and controlled by the various Labour organisations on the Coast, on April 11 it was burnt down, the machinery was saved though some of it was damaged by water. Immediately a band of workers was organised, with Paddy Webb at their head, to Jnake good the damage done. The one dominating all, was, that the Labour Daily must live. -Men from the mines, men from the water front, men from the railway, men from the facto jies, combined in one great effort. A hundred loads of rocks and thirty of shingle were necessary for the concrete floors so that the big printing machines would have a solid foundation (the printing machines, by the way, are of the latest type). Then, tbo biggest part of the building having been burnt down, a start was made to rebuild it and 'as a result of their efforts the paper was being printed in its old home three weeks after the fire —a New Zealand record. A lot of these men willingly sacrificed their evenings, they had no other time to work, and others their days otr. They gave of their best willingly and without stint. Not one man received a renav for his services. Wo want more of this spirit both in our daily and national life. And some day when you are cursing the miner because he is going slow or is on strike, making you suffer perhaps, please remember that he has another tide as welL

A New World. —Some drty-wlica goods are inode for use and noi far profit we .'-'hall have the rev." world as portrayed by J. A. Symoneis, M.A. Here ii is:— JThese things shall be! n. loftier rac* Than o'er the world hath known shall rise, jVith flame of freedom in their seals And light cf knowledge in their eye.-. They shall bo gentle, brave, and strong To spill no drop of blood, but dare All that may plant man's lordship firm On earth, and lire, and sea, and air. j jN r at ion with nation, land wish land. Unarmed shall live as eomnulo free; In every heart and brain shall the A Tho pulse of one fraternity. Ulan shall love man win: heart as pure And fervent as the young-eyed joys Who chant theh- heavenly songs before God’s face with xisUba-ar-iun; noise. 2S'ew art shall b'roim of loftier mould, And mightier music thrill the skies. And every life shall be a *ortf When, all tho earth is paradise. The London Dother;.--The fight of the London dock work-ms hr better waw-s. brings into prominence the emtimk of many Can!enlists that- is, that the tiverare worker exists or; a profit-earning machine. The following is instructive ns showing truer ■point of view ami is- cak-en from tin- Co-Op. iN'evrs;—A lien r-ir Ah is d Tooth, o; the ( unnrd Line, gave- cvinence, m- frankly admitted that the wage which he proposed should be paid the docker was not such as he iiim-c-.-lf* could live upon, and. hard on P>p of that comes tho instructive episode of He via, Bov.-lcy. Sind the Blanker. Professor A. L. Bovdey, of London University, was called as a witness for the employers, and put in a budget of expenditure for a docker's family. Tu this he showed £S It's per amu-iru for o bankets, she;-:-- curtains, crock-my, ere. Mr Bevui a.-ke-d how h.r such a wn weed 1 go m tne purchase of thorn thing?, ami the pee e-or rema-d mh:i: at :-resent priors ;m should U'W ar-tenme to replace bienkers and older bedclothes* It it wsro ir;disperunblo to buy £ blanket, the docker would have to provide j; out of his cvi-mlme.” Kow this is a bare d.-ctrle.bur it is not peculiar !■> Pro-■-■ im Cowley. a'; ■ ■ -res- ■■■ e* is the spokesman of the capitalist class, hut in- is :i.>t bad. example of ihar- class; on the contrary, ho i- oro'sedy one of tho most enlightened,, IBs view that die docker must liL>t expect blanuets to be- uart anal parcel of the ordinary things of life springs from the capital:-r. a-vmuptirm fha* the working elite--; is a subject class ; class for whom is neither p- -nor desirable to set. standards of : equivalent to tho.-,.- -tc-iuvd, ami i■ -. i. - ■ lv do fence'l. by the propertied i-a> r i of society. It is the capitalist vi-»w ti.at industry exists m.-t to provide the coniruuujtv with neremary eomnirmues. our o> pr->-vitio aronn for the owners of rh" mi-ans of pruducficu. T - wu:ro large prolir---nr, if you like, what the capitalists would call lair prorirs — in - co.-r ' f product:->tt mu.-t be kept as low - so. The wage earner is .-imply an item in the coat, of production. His labour, inseparable from the ju.ui himself, bom- , narket like any other rav." on, rial, and in the in r e-re.--s of indus•i rv ins rm m.uat i-e kept down. If giving the dr.ck-.T a wage which enables him to buy blankets makes what, to tile cap.inli-t r.iliai, is am nr. m ■ eee eo; info Os s' . tn-'ii t!io docker must go wit.h-vu. blankets —or gel. them by working overtime. Dispensing with tne Bess. — The ma.-tcr painters of Yorkshire are probably regretting by now th-air !• >c!c-out of the men. Prom tho master-' p.-iut of view t-eerds , have taken a mo-u .meomh'rie.L!.’ turn. Whar. hay happened is Bint people needing painting to m- don - a rad direct . with the nem, mal in os way M' :h;m work has i --an hvm mm lint in .-erne towns almost- ail the bock s! on- workers have bem | absorbs lin ■mis'eymsm. B i.- rev only ; small Joan; t.iav • •■■■■■• •■■;;. mi -lotcd to trillion: very considerable wmrrwt- iiavc in 1 some ca.-es n.o--n : . o- . la. ‘a. Iri 1 a r s;s, as. f-u- example, the painrmi; of three theatres. 1 Si. aid; mch tile in.s-osr p.b.OT ims in rial va.-r sc'-m-cd in ;s ■ or. of ;k - a dding--, it 11a-p-eiirs that, titter ad, - nm a. p-r.-ni! l-i -a '■ i a-■ no m.c itupgt aiw. Lab-our uugut reflect on this.