The Daily News. MONDAY, OCTOBER 31. MONEY AND MUSCLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 173, 31 October 1910, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY, OCTOBER 31. MONEY AND MUSCLE.

It seems rather a misnomer nowadays to call them ''masters," but let that pass. | The time apparently is arriving when I the only use for the "masters" will be the fact that they hold the purse. New Zealand employers .representing, if is said, twelve thousand "'masters," lately met in conference to discuss matters affecting their businesses, their relations •with labor, and legislation regarding folks in both opposition camps, for it is patent that the interests of employer and employed in New Zealand are not regarded as indissoluble and that each side regards the other as: the enemy; who, however, supplies the wherewithal for fighting. The fact that each is dependent on the other seems sometimes to escape both. The report of the employers' federations sets out that the demands of labor are more insistent than ever, that the unions recognise that the Arbitration Act has done much as it/is possible for it to do for the benefit of labor and that labor therefore is disposed to adopt the "might is right" attitude. The obvious comment is that the might of labor cannot force holders of capital to employ it, and that supposing capitalists cared to "pull out," labor in cooperation must necessarily find not only labor but capital to pay it with. Organised labor not only exercises its might on the alleged "master," but within its own ranks. It has very forcible methods among its own, as has been shown by the unqualified demands in Australia in regard to the subscriptions to the funds for labor papers. The employers show that labor has expressed its contempt for an Act (designed entirely in the interests of workers), and quotes specific cases where the law has been broken and demands conceded. This paragraph is interesting:—"The platform of the New Zealand Labor party calls for attention, by reason of the growing, if veiled, Socialistic tendencies therein disclosed. The demand for 'the gradual public ownership of all the means of production, distribution and exchange,' means nothing at all if it does not mean Socialism, and as such a proposal is opposed to private interests, and would, if any attempt were made to put it into operation, kill all enterprise and progress, it should meet with the stern disapproval of all who have the best interests of the Dominion at heart. Other proposals equally revolutionary in character are included in the 'platform,' and demand consideration by the Federation. Altogether, therefore, the industrial outlook is not so reassuring or so satisfactory as it appeared to be at the date of the last report, and indicates the necessity for much care and watchfulness on the part of the Federation." There are eight Bills now before the Legislature—and in order to get away to the races, Parliament might easily hustle the lot through without examination—which the employers claim will affect their industries. The law of supply and demand will dominate the situation despite any Bills that can be made. If the industries are affected, the owners of them will not proceed with them to the point of ruination. No labor organisation of any kind can compel people to employ capital. If labor destroys industry all the demands in the world won't have any effect. There is a thought or two in this paragraph:— "The varying decisions of magistrates in breach of award cases have resulted in much confusion to employers. Differences in the amounts of fines imposed, opposite decisions for similar cases, and the consequent absence of definite judgment, make it imperative that a change should be sought. So many decisions are so directly at variance with each other, and with precedents laid down by the Arbitration Court, that it appears to be necessary to insist upon all such cases the said of it, by BHBBBBBBBBBBBBBfIare BHBBBBBBBBBBBBBHinsuranoe BHBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBJ- trade HBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBJ.- view, Labor be value secreoffice by The ve Zeathe small industries now existing must languish and that militant labor, if it desires homo manufactures, will have to supply, by combination, both money and muscle.