The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1920. EXIT OF REVOLUTIONARY STRIKE

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3621, 6 November 1920, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1920. EXIT OF REVOLUTIONARY STRIKE

With which is incorporated The'Taihape Post and Waimarino News."

The dreaded revolutionary strike by coal-miners so long threatening Britain has been averted, simply because the British 'peopde, whether workers or otherwise, are not at heart Bolsheviks, or Communists. The strike .vote taken was slightly in favour of 'clowning tools, but as the majority was a long way short of the necessary two-thirds of all votes polled, Mr. Robert Smillie advised that the strike could not continue, and after discussion a resolution was carried declaring the strike off, and the men were subsequently urged to resume work. It is notable that comprehensive coal upheavals seemed to be marking time in France and Germany, merely waiting to get into stride' with that expected in Britain, and it is not improbable now that a European coal hold-up is out of the

question. French and German miners' may do as British miners have done in deciding to resume work. It should be plain that isolated strikes in France or Germany could hope for no better success than isolated strikes where. The general public.will tolerate any movement that appeals to their sense of Justice, but they equally set a determined face against exploitation of any kind from any quarter, j A strike t»y French and German miners j would be faught; with most injury to the workers themselves, and to the i cause of Labour, as well as delay that J reconstruction of industries throughout |

the whole country which is essential if the demand for labour is to ,be brought up to the supply. That principle must also apply in this Dominion; in Britain coal-miners have been granted- the maximum wage their volume of coal production warrants, and any increase from now on must depend upon increased output. It is an obviously insane act -to demand such payment for work as'the total pro'duce will not realise.! If. that is not so, then the strike for wages becomes mere subter fuge, and is not for wages at all. Sueh a strike is defiance of government, and a revolutionary attack to upset' constitutional "nTachinery fofmaintaining law and order. There is no question about workers and their families being the greatest sufferers by strikes against enacted law. If workers would but organise as comprehensively nnd

determinedly to secure (better conditions by constitutional means, they would be more successful, and every step gained would be more permanent. One of Britain 's most prominent trade union officials has. in the recent discussions on the proposal to strike, outlined what the results of the miners' strike of 1912 were. His statement is as follows:—"First day: All mines deserted. Second day: Docks idle; tinplate, steel and other workers unem-

ployed; ironworkers discharged; pottery works, woollen mills, brickyards begin to close down. One week after: Blast furnaces damped down. Thousands more workers paid off. Unemployed throng the streets of towns; London factories begin to close; sev-en hundred trains stop running; cotton mills cease work. Two weeks after: 1,600,000 unemployed (apart from miners); general shipping dislocated; food problem and transport problem grave. Three weeks after: Schools close; £12,000,000 lost in wages; trade union funds exhausted; misery in large cities; social unrest. Four weeks after: Unemployment national; mass meetings everywhere; processions of starving women and children. Heartache and sorrow." And this trade union official added: "A miners' strike now would be incalculably worse.'' This statement leaves no doubt about political strikes, mere revolts against the law, efforts to establish conditions and set up principles that are opposed to those cvolvcdl and enacted) )for the benefit of-all classes is the wrong way, the most disastrous way, .to workers themselves. Political strikes, ceasing work in an effort to render laws virtueless, are criminal; strikes that are a mere withholding of labour because of an unfair distribution of the earnings of labour cannot be denied to workers. Nevertheless, we contend that strikes have become out of date; strikes were the only weapon that was available in primitive labour days. They were a crude weapon that in use injured the weilder as much as his opponent. It cannot too often be reiterated that workers have"'outgrown

the strike; there lies ready*To their hand a universal suffrage which is alrpowerful to bring about such social and industrial conditions as are deemed best in maintaining a brilliant future for tho Empire, and a present contented, tolerant and happy people. Let IVow Zealand Labour leaders drop the eH]-* about Labour solidarity. They know, everybody knows, that there is no such thing in K T ew Zealand,

however much tho apostles of syndicalism wishes there were. Tnose who are j angling for coal strikes and waterside worker strikes are quite conscious of j the fad that there no funds to give sueh strikes a semblance of honesty. Then a serious determination to down tools could be regarded in no other way than as a revolutionary j strike; a direct action process of lawI breaking and law-scrapping, and if ParI liament has not jnadp provisions' to promptly put down any. such revolutionary risings its members have been seriously neglecting their duty to this Dominion's mothers and children. However, revolutionary syndicalism has received a set-back in the votes of tho miners against a revolutionary strike, and the lesson thereof is not likely to be lost amongst miners in other countries, and least of all in jSTcw Zealand. If Labour leaders will only abandon syndicalist secrecy, craft and

general dissembling, and* adopt the frank, open, honest, potent weapon ready to their hands in the franchise, it is safe to venture a prediction that they will attain more thereby in two Parliaments than they would ever gain by syndicalism. As we have said, unlike Russians and some other Contineutabpeoples, New Zealanders, and Bri- ) tish people generally are not Communists, and they will not have Communism either by virtue ol revolutionary or constitutional means. ""Then why do Labour leaders go on wasting time, delaying progress iby refusing io abandon the-faulty means they have adopted towards a beneficent end? It is not yet apparent that the industrial mind of employers ancTworkeTS alike is capable of relegating strikes to oblivion; strikes will probably be the final means ■ of settling genuine labour disputes for many years into the' future. Tribunals are not free, whether involuntarily or otherwise, from the taint of partisanship, and theTelrore no such tribunal for settling industrial disputes can prove satisfactory until such time as Parliament compels both sides jto !

put all figures on the table. The revolutionary strike is nothing short of race and national suicide. Let every man think the question out for himself. It must not be presumed that the Government would allow funds of any kind to be used for revolutionary purposes;' it would be sheer madness to think for a moment that there are enough revolutionaries, in this Dominion to -render any effort at seizure of government successful, or even probable. Everything that would aid I revolution would be rendered impossible of acquisition. Then where is the sense in crying for the moon that is impossible? 'Why not reorganise methods and policy more in the direction of commonsense? Syndicalism has tried to starve the masses into seeing some righteousness in its cause.- Starvation processes hove failed: Why not try treating the masses in a more reasonable way. Let them have coal, to cook their food; take away the filthy, poisonous sugar which comes direct from the hands of "the scum of Eastern populations. But above all abandon the secret fi-fo-fum business of Bolshevism; frankly put the whole ease for the people on the table, and the I people will take, to it like ducks to > water. Then will follow an era of industrial peace and contentment.