THE STRIKE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 67, 19 November 1913, Page 5

THE STRIKE.

Men Still Hold Out. FUN AT LYTTELTON. Further Disturbance at Wellington. SCENE IN POST OFFICE SQUARE. A SPECIAL SUSTAINS A BROKEN LEG. MAN SERIOUSLY HURT BY BATON ALL CITY HOTELS CLOSED. [Per Press Association.] m * Wellington, November 19. Between tYvo and three thousand strikers and others assembled at the Post Office Square this morning at 8.30. Some of the men started “boohooing” a squad of twelve mouuteds, and the clamor increased until tiio mounteds were instructed to clear the Square. They advanced on the mob on the wharf at a trot with batons raised. The crowd spread, but a lug crowd assembled at the corner of the Pier Hotel. To disperse these, the specials had to charge and use then batons. One of the horses slipped, throwing his rider, Bar, of Pahiatua. ami falling on him. Bar sustainec a broken leg, and was taken to the hospital. Meanwhile, the mob scattered. More mounteds arrived, and will the regulars completely cleared the Square and adjacent streets of loiterers. 1

A man, Charles Johnson, who had seized a special’s baton, was arrested One of the men batoned was seriously hurt. All the City hotels are closed. Work is proceeding steadily on the wharves.

“RED FED” MANIFESTO.

“THE FIGHT IS ON!”

Wellington, November 18

A manifesto by the executive of the United Federation of Labor was hand ed to a reporter to-day. It, is addressed to the workers of New Zealand, and is as follows:

“The position of the workers now engaged in a fight against the annihilation of their organisations is stronger than ever. On every hand advices reach us that there is tire same determination to carry on the struggle to a successful issue. The Employers’ Federation lias declared that tin unions of labor must be all of them forced under the aegis of the Indus trial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. Against this coercion Labor rebels. Wo are not against arbitration for those who want arbitration, but wo are against an arbitrary demand onforced by the theat of starvation That compulsory arbitration shall prevail the law of the land does not do mand it. Voluntary arbitration we will and have always been prepared to allow those who desire to adopt it. At the request of the employers, we Avill not depart from that attitude. During the progress of the struggle, the kept Press of the plutocracy have with characteristic brazen ness, % hy a process of misstatements, endeavored to inflame the public mind against the Tinted Federation of Labor, of which the watersiders form a part. • The cry has been raised again and yet again that our plan of organisation is ‘impracticable.’ It is so practicable as to bo the very reason why it is alarmingly branded ‘impracticable.’ Enemies of ideas don’t waste powder and shot on them if the ideas are impracticable. In respect to the Federation, the wish is father to the jeer of ‘impracticable’ ; but notice yon, worker, that the country rings with denunciation of the Federation. If an ‘impracticable’ federation, why the Employers’ Federation as counter-revolu-tion ? Why the venomous Press attack t Why the angry onslaught upon all the Federation stands for? It is quite clear it is because the United Federation of Labor has accepted methods so positively practical as to make it all the workers’ magnet in spite of its youth. What the United Federation has been able to become in a few short months, and the power it has weilded. as a few solidly organised, eloquently attests what it may be in a few more years and the power it may weild, as many, solidly organised. Hence the combined unscrupulous attack'.

‘We cfill upon nil organisations affiliated and non-afliliated tlmt have loyally to light, on, ns grimly <lotormi ni'd as over to realise that l»y tlio preservation ol' our unbroken rallies, victory is certain. Victory is doubly sweet because fought for. First came (be armed invasion of our cities but. no*surrender of (lie (ifditi.no; workers.

Secondly, the brutal assaults, but still no surrender. Thirdly, the unwarranted arrests of Young, Semple, Holland and others, antediluvian charges, yet no. surrender. Lastly, the establishing of scab unions, and the adulation of scabbory, but solid still are the workers’ ranks, and now Labor stands united as ever befoie, determined as never before. The spirit that carried that torch oi libcity in humanity’s darkest hours is not dead, but is awakened again in tin* hour of trial throughout New Zealand. The tight is on. Lob us close up outranks and swear eternal fidelity in the cause and in each other. All for each and each for all. lo do that moans solidarity, absolute and ceit.un victory.

“On Ijelialf of the United Federation of Labor. (Signed) John Dowgray, acting-president; P. G. Hickej, secretary and treasurer.”

A VALUABLE CARGO. Wellington, November 19. The value of the cargo by the Athenic for London was £306,(534, including £254,000 worth of butter and cheese. AT CHRISTCHURCH. WORK STOPPED ON STEAMERS. Lyttelton, November 18. An attempt was made this afternoon to load cargo on the Maori, which is regarded as a “scab” ship. Jhe crowd was disorderly, and there was a scene. The strikers pushed the trucks away from the ship. A locomotive brought the trucks back. The strikers jumped on the train and put on the brakes and uncoupled one truck containing railway men. They threatened to pusii it over the end of the wharf unless the railway men got out. The railway men refused, and the truck tvus bustled to the end of the wharf where it collided with another truck and stopped. Meanwhile all but two of-the railwaymen had scrambled out of the truck. The remaining two got out when tho truck stopped.

Sergt. Ryan and eight constables then made an appearance and warned the strikers of serious penalties. They replied that if an attempt was made to load the Maori the trucks would go into the water. After a conference between the police and the railway men, the trucks were taken off the wharf again. .

The crowd later proceeded to the Canopus, wjiich was discharging coal with the permanent stall'. The men put their coats on and stopped work amidst cheers.

The same procedure followed at the Northern and the Melbourne and all work is now stopped.

SPECIALS FOR LYTTELTON. TRAMWAYMEN WILL DISCUSS THE POSITION. Christchurch, November 19. Specials are assembling, hut the authorities refuse information as to their intentions. Mr Bishop, Magistrate, will swear them in, but ho stated ho will not allow reporters or the public to be present. He did not intend to have men pilloried for doing their duty.

It is assumed the specials will be taken to Lyttelton to-morrow morning. Supplies are being conveyed to Addington camp, where Chaffey ,tho officer commanding, and also members of the citizens’ committee, arc busy. Tents are bein gerected. The city specials received orders to go into camp today with blankets and equipment. The balance of the country specials are expected in the afternoon and evening. The tramwaymen moot to-morrow to consider th-e position. Efforts are being made to induce the Union to support the strikers, but apparently the majority of the tramwaymen are unfavorable to such a drastic action. AT AUCKLAND. GOOD WORK ON THE WHARVES. SAWMILLS RESUME ON FRIDAY. Auckland, November 19. Business is very active at the wharves. The Tongariro was berthed to discharge 7000 tons of her London cargo. The Ivoutuna arrived from Fiji, and is discharging perishable fruit. Good progress was made in loading the Muritai and Maknra. The Sawmillers’ Association decided that all mills resume work on Friday.

QUIET ON THE WATERFRONT

DISCHARGING PROCEEDING. Dunedin, November 19. All is quiet on the waterfront this morning, and the work of discharging ■ the Moeraki’s cargo is proceeding. THE POSITION IN AUSTRALIA. I By Eueotrio Telegraph—Copyright] [United Press Association.] (Received 9.20 a.m.) Sydney, November 19. The mails and luggage on two New Zealand steamers were lauded, lint no attempt was made to touch the "Willochra’s cargo. The Darling Harbor wheat handlers’ strike is not settled. PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS. THE RIGHT TO STRIKE. (Received 9.20 a.m.) Melbourne, November 19. In the House, Mr Lowe, speaking against the Preference to Unionists Abolition Bill, said: “I am going to stand by the right to strike. It is good for mo and my people. I care not for your laws. We aro going to

fight if your arbitration and conciliation courts can help us. Wo accept them, but I am not concerned with your industrial peace. If 1 cannot get industrial justice for the people by arbitration, 1 shall get it by means of my fellows. 1 hope my people will stand by me.” He characterised the Bill as a deliberate attempt to break up the union forces, and attempt to divorce the political and industrial aspect of trade unionism.

JOTTINGS. The sight • of a special constable’s baton is quite as infuriating to some otherwise decently-quiet members of the community as a red rag to an autocratic bull. H was, therefore, quite unnecessary bombast on the part of a returned special from Wellington to pace the Stratford platform the other evening with one of those ugl\ things dangling from hks wrist. Said special |would not have looked so pleased with himself had he heard half the opinions expressed on the asininity of bis action among a peace-loving community such as we are in Taranaki. A contemptible act was committed by some unknown person at Korokoro, Petono, either late last night or. in the early hours of the morning. Mr P. H. Jones, a wood and coal merchant. returned to his home just before midnight, and, taking a look at bis two horses, which were in a padjock, found them to bo in an apparently sound condition. When going out into the paddock' this morning, however, he discovered that one of he horses had a severe wound just d.ove the right hind leg. Apparently the perpetrator of the deed had used a very sharp instrument, as the wound was clean cut, about eight inches long and fully six inches deep. Mr Jones summoned a veterinary surgeon as soon as possible, and the animal s wound was attended to. The owner of the horse states that he cannot see any reason lor the cruel deed, unless his action of carting loads oi wood Into town had earned him the resentment of somebody. The matter is now in the hands ol the local police. An Actual Episode during the Wellington Sirike. ft’s all very well to push a pen Or book at a cattle sale. But the things 1 did at the Wellington Strike Would make manym man turn pale! You’ve heard how we smote ’em hip and thigh From the Quay to Courtenay Place. I But the bravest act'of that hell-hot time Was when I charged them-face to fact! ' : 1

Twas the fault of the horse 1 rode; you see He was slow and heavy of head. And he’d* stand, forgetting all about

me,.. ■ .: i . As quiet and still as the dead!

One day they gathered a tidy crowd. And cusses and stones flew last, But the old horse moved never a jotHe was thinking about his past!

When, all at once, a fair-sized brick Took■ hiinlfair and true on the eye Ho woke up*then, gave a donee oi plunge, And I toll vop we didn’t half iiy!

Not whore I wanted go «t :l!l - But the brute had lost his head. And there was I travi'lliug --- Straight for the strikers ahead!

[ guessed it was just about "11 I P. And myeturn had come to die, But the look of the horse must nave seared ’em stiff For the “Strikers” began to fly!

I got that fool horse in hand at last, And rode hack to join the hoys, And eheer after cheer rang out as we passed— They kicked up the devil’s own noise!

You see. they all thought that I’d .taken a chance Of breaking the Strikers’ throng, And nobody knows, except you and rue, Where the laurels “really” belong! ft got in the papers, too, 1 hear. How I charged that ugly crowd. And though I’m a modest man, as you know, It makes me feel sort of proud! No, i don’t know what has become of the horse, Guess they just let him dream and graze ; But it doesn’t matter n hang to me, For I got the credit and praise!

Win. S. Svmes

Stratford, November 11, 1913