The Daily News. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1904. COUNSEL FOR UNION LABOUR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 28, 3 February 1904, Page 2

The Daily News. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1904. COUNSEL FOR UNION LABOUR.

Henry Whyte, editor of the Weekly Bulletin <,f the Clothing Trades, lias written u scries of articles for his paper, wlio.se wise warnings iuwl counsel should be thoughtfully considered by the members of laixiur unions. He points to the dangers that menace trades unionism from within, smii as the iibuse of power, which, us he says, is arousing a hostility to t.h<: labour movement in the public mind. The great needs now are. patience and restraint, the wisdom to slop at just demands. As to how far the demands should go we give mi indication in one of the arlicles which outlines the purpose of (he movement as follows :—" The function of the union is to maintain a minimum rate of wages and a normal work-day, to secure fair treatment for the members and to improve their environmenl, but beyond that, it cujinot. go without jeopardising its position. Whether u union controls or not, n healthy condition of industry is only possible where inillvi'dunl ambition is stimulated and where i»\er>- person is put upon his mettle and regarded according to his merits. II therefore heroines Hie manifest duty of the Trades Councils, which are not governed by personal considerations or temporary advantage, to prevent local unions from coimnittii.g the fatal blunder of trying to us,urp the function of the employer in the hiring or discharging of workmen except within the limits indicated. The tendency of unions to do so is the greatest menace to the laf.iour movement." An instance is cited of an attempt, to compel Hie retention of an unlit employee, and we in ; i.v say with perlect confidence that if the unions were making a studious effort to furnish ammunition for their bitterest enemies in the i loyb'K class tiny could l'm<! no means so effective as this. Not only is it Hue, as Mr Whyte declaies, that ■'employers would rather make almost an.\ concession than sulTer their authority in the choosing of help to he infringed upon," but it Is clear also that in their stand on this point they have the sympathy of a M'iy large part ol the public. Wanton, tyrannous dictation brings the union labour cause into general disrepute, and .Mr Whyte, seeing the iferil. speaks as a genuine friend and advocate of the cause should.