The Sun THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1928 A RABBIT GROWLS AT WOLVES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 458, 13 September 1928, Page 8

The Sun THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1928 A RABBIT GROWLS AT WOLVES

STRIKES are illegal in Australia. That is one of the facts in current democratic history which will appear to future historians as the greatest satirical joke of this mad age. And for thirf reason: no other country in the world has anything like Australia’s record for strikes, industrial hushranging and trade unionists’ defiance of the law. As an Australian statesman once said in bleak humour, “the Australian worker loves the daily luxury of walking to a strike.” The latest hold-up of the Commonwealth’s maritime trade has risen from that notorious hotbed of malignant trouble—the Australian waterfront. Lumpers refuse to work under a new award by the Federal Arbitration Court and, contemptuous through experience of a spineless tribunal’s authority, again mischievously break the law and defy it. Already over a score of steamers, including oversea liners, are held up at various ports. Led by the nose like oxen, the waterside workers, the obedient slaves of raving agitators, refuse calls for labour to load and unload ships eager for trade. A fortune in wool awaits shipment overseas, hundreds of tons of perishable produce, such as maize and sugar, are rotting on Queensland wharves, and the general trade, commerce and industry of Australia are again menaced. And strikes in Australia are illegal! A few months ago £1,000,000 was thrown away on a maritime strike that lasted fifteen weeks and ended in the usual stupidity of nothing being accomplished, except another- grievous financial loss and acute misery for the wives and families of the strikers. Less than a month ago six steamers were rendered idle at Cairns through the tantrums of the waterside workers. There was no dispute between the union and the shipping companies as regards wages or conditions. The trouble was due to a squabble between two sections of unionists. In order to cope with a x'ush of cargo, ships’ gangs from the crews of vessels unloading were employed, as cargo lumpers, and were paid the usual rates for the work. When the waterside workers discovered that the ships’ gangs were earning more money than dyed-in-the-wool lumpers, a boycott was enforced. Then, as an example of glorious Labour loyalty and solidarity, the ships’ gangs “turned dog” on the shipowners and bit the hand that had fed them. Chaos followed. And, so the sorry tale of Australian strikes runs on. Those terrible fellows, the Capitalists, who must obey the law or go bankrupt, naturally appealed for an enforcement of the law all round, hut the Federal Government is a gutta-percha instrument in that, as in almost every other respect. The Prime Minister made the inevitable protest in a strong voice, but by the time his threat of action reaches the ears of Labour agitators it is as effective and as ludicrous as a rabbit’s growl (do rabbits growl?) at wolves.

Mr. Stanley Bruce again threatens a majestic exercise of legal authority. The shipowners also talk loudly about teaching the strikers a salutary lesson. Such impressive threats and bold acceptances of challenges are as common as the strikes that inspire them. They represent the decorative side of administrative authority, hut are made of gaudy tinsel. The strikes go on, and industrial unions continue arrogantly to defy the pretentious law. It has been well said by Australian commentators that the worst curse of Australia is weak government. The fibre of Australian administration has been palsied by an overdose of Labour Government. And so long as the shipowners could pass on the excessive cost of labour they were content to be rabbits. Between them they have fostered industrial revolt. It is long past time for a decisive conflict against rebellious industrial unionism and‘rabid agitation.