AUSTRALIAN STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 October 1917, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN STRIKE.

-THE GOVERNMENT WINS, J. Sydney, Oct. J. With the miners' decision to resume work, the great strike lias virtually ended, excepting that the seamen are still out. It is firm victory for Government rule, and the participating unions have been badly worsted. In

its breadth, its ulterior aims and disastrous industrial and financial 1 effects, the upheaval has been the worst in the history of the Commonwealth. It is difficult to conceive a bigger debacle than that of the unionists, who allowed themselves, on a flimsy pre. text, to be lead headlong. They not only lost their cause and plunged unionism into a welter of chaos, but stand publicly condemned with their ranks riven, and with a fat aftermath of troubles arising directly and indirectly out of the strike requiring straightening out.

The outstanding features of the storm time were the unswerving determination of the Government to maintain the right to govern and to conduct publio business, the consistent public support .and backing of that policy, and, with few exceptions, the orderly conduct of the general body of strikers. From its start on August 2 to September?, the position was one of immovable firmness on both sides. Then hope dawned through the negotiations of Mr. Holme, Industrial Commissioner, and the union representatives, the out« come being that the railwaymen and tramwaymen admitted the hopelessness of the struggle and agreed to go lack under the denounced card system with an inquiry to follow. There waa much soreness among certain sections and among the outside unions over the terms of settlement, and thing 9 looked like a renewal of the whole trouble, but the continued firmness of the Government, the pressure ■of circumstances, and the steady drift back of the strikers compelled the adoption of a more reasonable course. The coal miners proved obdurate, but finally joined in the retreat from an impossible position. It will necessarily be some time bpfore normal conditions are restored, particularly as regards the depleted coal suplies. Besides the many hundreds who must perforce be idle till the coal stocks are replenished, the places of many others have been filled bv volunteers. It is likely that a fair proportion of those who offered their services under promise that they would be retained if they desired will not choose to vacate good billets. Thus the outlook for the strikers is not bright. Several unions paid the price of deregistration for flouting the Arbitration Court, and both the Railway Commissioners and ' employees generally are making the terms of re-employment a •clear indication that the lesson of the strike has not been lost upon them. At any rate, the indications point to considerable modifications of the relations between the employer and employee. •So far, at least as the stronger unions are concerned that phase of the question as well as the strikers' yage losses is a heavy blow. The business losses both in the city and country have yet to be counted along with the moral effect of such a disastrous upheaval at the time of the Empire's need upon Australia and her national reputation ■elsewhere. The strikers wore admittedly badly

led and held doggedly to their purpose, and. believing or unbelieving, persisted that the whole fabric of unionism was threatened. The election and the anti-conscription campaigns had depleted the funds, and so many unions were involved in the new struggle that tlie response to the appeal for funds was necessarily not large. Some strike pay was issued, but only doles, and men were beginning to feel the pinch. The public suffered serious inconvenience, but, on the whole, came off well, thanks to the breadth and promptitude 'of the Government measures, the unstinted response of voluntneers to fill the gaps, and the cheerful readiness of the public to fall in with the demands of the situation. The actual effects of ■the dislocation are more teal than apparent. But for the idle men in the •streets, the idle fleet in the harbour, strikers' processions, crowded trains and trams and the shortage of gas and electricity for ordinary lighting purposes, there' is little outward sign of the great upheaval in progress.