The Daily News. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27. THE WRONG UNIONISM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 27 September 1907, Page 2

The Daily News. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27. THE WRONG UNIONISM.

If trades unionists showed by their i conduct that they wore animated by the 1 highest sense or duty to humanity and j nut by personal interest, there is no worker ill Xew Zealand who would not be a trades unionist. If Socialists were practical and not dreamers, if they were definite and not sketchy, real workers and not accusers, ilie unselfish trades unionist and the practical socialist could clasp hands and call it brotherhood lor the good of humanity. Unfortunately, however much one may admire the principles of unionism, one knows definitely that many of its leaders in this country, as elsewhere, haven't a spark of the unionist spirit. There are alleged labor leaders in this colony who have become independent men, not because they have fostered peace and concord among men, but because they have persistently made war and discord.

Unionism on a basis of complete brotherhood would be the finest condition any people could work under, but the unionism which consists of a system of discovering new grievances which are used

by professional trouble-makers lo increase their own income is a curse. The j average unionist, apart from the average unionist agitator, is a man win, n.Uiii'aliy enough, is looking for the main chance. The reason why unionism is not universal, nor can ever be under present conditions, is that many decent nen are utterly disgusted that some phases of unionism are used for furtherance of pet personal schemes, per l sonal advancement, and personal profit. Xo unionist should desire advancement if his brother unionist is not sharing it. Xo alleged leader should "feather his next" at the expense of his fellows.

The Minister of Labor, in a vivid speech the other day, touched on the failure of Conciliation Boards—a method of conducting business that has been of the Ic.t-l possible satisfaction to work-

ers, Imt of considerable satisfaction to Inrpies, paid agitators, long-winded orators and cranks whose object has been not to conciliate but to make the most out of the business. Unionist agitators do not favor wages boards composed of skilled workers' representatives and employers, believing that such skilled employees might be dominated by the bosses. The agitators' real trouble is that under real conciliatory methods the agitators'- job might cease. Industrial peace is in*>t on the programme of the agitator any more than personal industry at a trade is. The conciliation boards of the colony have proved mere wrangling boards and have seldom helped the workers. They have helped tile harpies who batten on the workers and who perpetually weep crocodile tears over their poor brothers. The poor brothers are not nearly so disticssed as the harpies over their alleged wrongs. The worker of New Zealand has attained his position of to-day not so much on account of the Arbitration Court or Conciliation Board or anything of the kind, but merely because there has been plenty to do, and Nature has been kind. A period of slump would put the agitator in his right placs. j The agitator is not going to work for humanity when it docs not pay.

'I lie Government's industrial proposals contain one for the recovery of fees from workers who have Ijecn guilty of a breach of the Arbitration Act. Labor "leaders" have been making a chorus of dissent throughout New Zealand at a proposition to attack a man's wages. They have made a song about the sacredness of wages and all the rest of it. These workers in the cause of humanity don't care twopence about the sacred cause of justice. Fine an employer by all means if he breaks the

law. But do not, we beg, fine an employee whose wages, maybe, are the only property he has. The man with nothing who has contracted debts can be brought to court, and ordered to pay. As he can't pay he may be (although he frequently is not) punished. Why shouldn't a unionist who breaks the law and won't pay lie punished? Is the unionist more sacred lliau anyone else? And if he is, why is be?

The Minister for Labor said that no Parliament in the world would over give compulsory statutory preference to unionists, and as this is the one thing upon which the paid agitators build their whole fabric, its refusal knocks the whole stuffing out of the kind of unionism they foster. Compulsory statutory preference to unionists is sheer brutal selfishness It is "the big stick." It is an order by a few (usually entirely selfish) men to the whole of the workers in New Zealand to join union*. It is akin to holding a revolver to the head of Iho worker while telling him that he is no longer a free agent. It is. above all, forcing the power of agitators up. The agitator's job is to inerease the size of unions ami thus the size of the agitator's power and purse. The agitator says that unless a non-unionist becomes one of the agitator'd humble slaves and contributes to his upkeep, his wife ami family shall starve because the court has no power to permit him to work. Preference is now granted conditionally in some trades. It is a crying iniquity.

This prok's-ioNalisni in running unions is bud. It isn't co-operation. Unions are frequently the tail that is wagged by tlic dog—the secretary or agitator being the dog. Unions are not dominated by bosses, but by agitators. Agitators continue to bleed for their fellows until they get a full pocket. If unionists are not strong enough to get along without an army of paid trouble-makers why doesn't unionism die? It is not going to die, for it is wanted badly, but the man who talks unionism and breeds dissentton is not wanted, and the unionists •ought to give their support to the proposals of the Minister of Labor to make his existence impossible in future.