WAR AND STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1917, Page 5

WAR AND STRIKE.

PSYCHOLOGY OF SWELLED HEAIX ''There is a certain analogy between 1 the breaking out of war and the position of the unions in this strike,'' said Mr. Justice Ifeydon in the Industrial Court in Sydney last week, in refusing the application of the Tramway Employees' Onion for registration. "Both of them," he continued, ''were influenced by certain psychological conditions. In the one case a very powerful nation had got into ft state which might he expressed by the term 'swelled head,' and I think it was very much the same state of things with the unions throughout Australia, particularly in New South Wales, which in. fluenced the strike. "One of the causes of this state of tilings \vas that the unions 'had known that, they could flout this Court jvith perfect impunity. Looking at all the cir-

cumstances it was apparent that the unionists of New South Wales considered that they had an absolute right to get their own way in everything, and they were highly offended jvhen the card system was introduced. Such a small cause could never have produced such a convulsion .n that strike if there had not been some widespread feeling at the time among tl'e unionists. The only way to prevent the recurrence of such a thing i« to teach the lesson that it does not pay. At the time the strike took place the opinion was that it did pav. Some !■> months before one of the wickedest things in Australia the coal strike—was an absolute success, after the men had actually taken Australia by the throat. "Unfortunately, in this strike," said the Judge, in conclusion, "the great number of unionists, instead of being filled with indignation at the disloyalty that had been exhibited, and saying: 'We wil< never he snilty of such 'a thing.' had done exactly the same, and had practically said: 'lt is war time now; we have only to stop now, and we get all wo want.'"