THE RED FEDERATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 153, 15 November 1912, Page 4

THE RED FEDERATION.

The death of ene of the participants in Tuesday's "battle" at Waihi portrays in hues both tragic and forceful the wickedness and dangers of the policy blatantly enunciated and recklessly maintained by the leaders of the Red Federation, Evans, the unfortunate man who. has succumbed to his injuries, was but a dupe of these irresponsible men, in common with the rest of the strikers. His death and the shooting of the other two men are the outcome of the insane policy pursued by the Federation leaders, who must be held morally responsible for the acts of violence that have ended so tragically. Unfortunately the law that gives them so mucfylicense cannot be used against them in the present case to put them in a place where opportunities for making further mischief would: be denied £hem. But it does seem strange in these enlightened and orderly times that men like these can roam about the country—always, of course, at the expense of their misled followers—stirring up trouble, intimidating those opposed to their poisonous propaganda, unsettling the minds of peaceful workers, causing untold misery and loss to hundreds of innocent people, and generally working to undermine the foundations of law and order. The fact of the matter is that in our desire to maintain fo'r the subject liberty of speech and action we are altogether too indulgent in our treatment of the reckless, irresponsible and hare-brained element. In the light of what lias happened at Waihi, we are of opinion that if power is not already given under the Police Offences Act to suppress dangerous nuisances of their kind, provision should at the earliest moment be made with this object in view. The behaviour of the Federation leaders during the past few days is in keeping with their behaviour since the strike was initiated. Having bv their tactics led .the strikers into a hopeless position, they shamefully abandoned them, and took good care to put as great a distance as possible between their precious hides ilnd the danger zone, and then to issue a manifesto 1 which is obviously bristling with inaccuracies, and dastardly accusations. The truth of the matter is that they now realise' that l the game is up, and seek to cover up as much as possible their own miserable work and its tragic fruits. There are some satisfactory features about the present position at Waihi. Things have been brought to a head, the right of free men to labor as they desire has been vindicated, the town lias been purged of an undesirable and disturbing element, and the infamous cause of the Red Federation dealt a blow from which it is staggering probably beyond all possibility of recovery.