The Daily News. THURSDAY, MARCH 27. 1913. IRRATIONAL LABOR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 261, 27 March 1913, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, MARCH 27. 1913. IRRATIONAL LABOR.

While sympathising most cordially with the legitimate aims and aspirations of the workers, we find it difficult, if not impossible, to endorse the latest development of their tactics. The old-fashion-ed trade unionist had h'is code of ethics; he carried on bis warfare in a spirit of fairness; he observed the rules; he "played the.game," anil 'liy virtue of his honorable conduct he obtained legal recognition and wrested many concessions from

the legislatures of civilised countries. The trade unionist of to-day has changed all that. lie has become a practical anarchist, knowing no law but his own

caprice. lit- has become ■irrational ti a degree almost As marked oa in tli case of the hysterical- suffragettes, am appears to bo altogether regardless o codes of honor, statutory enactments pilbJic opinion and . public, convenience lie even breaks tlic rules made by liini self for his own guidsuici:.' * In "nearl; ev'iery part of the. world the. "instant ailcous strike" has taken tht) place o the carefully-calculated trial, of strenjjtl that used to be entered upon'only wh.ei negotiations had fij.ilcd to effect, a settle ment- of differences," Rational method hare given place to revolutionay proced ure. The phrase, "sympathetic strike, now .so popular, tersely describes the nev order of things, proving-tbat labor dis putcs are now emotional afliiirs, insteai of calmly-considered and d'eliberat movements for the improvement of con ditjions. Strikes that have- taken pla& during recent years-in England, Americi and other countries have;exemplified tin 'tendency to which we refer. The fern strike in Sydney is an example nearei our own -doors. lit . this case, despite the fact that the claims of the employees were being investigated by a State tribunal —despite the offer of the ferry owners to make wage concessions retroactive as from the beginning of the year —the men suddenly left off without notice, at a time when the stoppage of the Service would maximum of inconvenience on the public. The most extraordinarily irrational feature of tlw business is'that the strikers have irritatec 1 and alienated oyer a hundred thousam people who are dependent-tipon the ferr Services for getting to and from the city When we remember that the trade union JstS aim at political ; power. exercised .]>; means of votes at.. Parliam*ntary."elcc tions, their action seems" suicidal; fo the Labor Party cannot'expect' to,obta.ii Support by tactics that-cause annoyanci and loss to the general public,- including many who are otherwise in sympathy with its aims. Industrially considered tyje strike is alsoa.huge taptieal blunder Tlie men have, as: was ito 'be ex Heeied, gained theft • i>oiVit; lm tiio' outcome will ! ajmost,'corj;.aihly lii that a impetus will be-given t( the movement in favor- of--: connectirtj Xorth Sydney and the city by Queans o a bridge that wilt make the residents o the most populous water.sid.e" suburb in dependent of the ferry steamers. Man; of the strikers will then lind their oocu pation gone. The (loveriiment in.the ro ?ent crisis came to the rescue of tin trans-harbor residents bv starting fro. services; and it may be compelled ti take over the whole ; dutv of providin; ferry steamboats in future. Opvernmen services would, of course, still be liabh to dislocation at the caprice of the em nloyees, unless the conditions of em jloyme.nt with regard to siiperaimuatioi nid other contingent benefits made then liore chary about wantonly decreeing : •■essatiou of work. Classification of eni Joyces, along with a system of State 'regimentation' 1 ami discipline, wouh seem to be the veal remedy to apply ir lie case of workers engaged in the per ormance of necessary public services. Ir ,his aspect of the matter, there nm )e a method in the madness of Labor or the effect of strikes like that of tlu ■Sydney ferry employees must be to com iel an extension of State Socialism A'hetlier such a sy.-dem would ultimately irnelit tin; workers is very doubtful: mt it certainly looks as though the gen■ra 1 public, will, in self-defence, be compiled to adopt, some method that will irotect them I'rom the vagaries of emoional and irrational trade unionists.