THE DEFENCE ACT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 8, 7 May 1912, Page 5

THE DEFENCE ACT.

THE WORKERS' ATTITUDE. (Per Press Association j Christchureh, May 6. The decision of the Ironmoulders Union to take a plebiscite of its mem bevs on a proposal that if the com pulsory clauses of the Defence Act re main Unrepealed by next Labour Daj a strike should be declared, is ridiculed in responsible circles in the city. Even unionists who have som; liking for the strike as an argument and who 'are bitterly opposed to tin compulsory clauses, say that itwouk be folly to use the strike in a purel. political controversy. This opinion .; ■/lot unanimously held, but the grea majority of the workers' representa tives who were questioned > to-day do clined to take the suggestion serious Mr. D. Of. Sullivan, president o the Trades and Labour Council, sa'< that he would prefer not to express a ■opinion on such a matter, because : question of the kind, if anything canu <.f it, would have to bo considered b;\ the Trades and Labour Council, and i Wpuld scarcely be proper for him t< make a statement without the expres: authority of the Council. Mr. Sulli van added that his personal feelin; >vas utterly against the idea of e strike. A prominent Labour leader who was approached said that the ironmould ers' resolution was, in his opinion "hot air." He did not believe' thai members of the union would have < word to say in favour of the proposa if the suggestion were submitted to ; vote. Another Labour leader remarked that there was little chance of trade; unions generally falling in with th< proposal, as they were divided on the question of defence. Personally, h< favoured military training, but no the present Defence Act. He Avanted b see some scheme which could be demo cratically administered. Mr. Lois P. Christie and Mr. M C, Mackie, prominent officers of th< National Peace Council, stated tha' the action of the union was takei without any instigation from their or ganisation. The peace council was naturally pleased to see the workers, through'their unions, expressingjheii disapproval of compulsory military training, but it did not approve _of any but constitutional methods being employed to effect reform. It certainly would not advocate an industrial strike, but there were indications that the workers, or, at least, that a section of tho workers, inclined to the Federation of Labour, wore prepared to use the strike as a weapon in the •nutter of military training and for other purposes. A resolution was carried last evening by the Socialist party to the effect that, in case of war, the workers would down tools. It was decided that the resolution should be submitted <tc every Labour organisation in New Zealand.