INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 January 1920, Page 5

INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

THE LABOR PROBLEM. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Jan. 22. Rightly or wrongly, there is an impression abroad among employers that serious labor troubles are brewing. The representatives of the workers are extremely reticent, always, and if they say anything at all upon the subject it is rather to protest they are doing their best to avert an upheaval than to give any assurance such an upheaval will not occur. The initiative, if trouble is to come, seems to lie with the miners, but if they should go out they would bo speedily followed by the transport workers and the members of the other militant unions. The restraining influence m far as the men are concerned is the knowledge that the weight of publie opinion is against them, and that no funds are available for a prolonged struggle or even for a short and decisive one. THE EMPLOYEES' CLAIM.

Seen to-day a large employer of labor, whose business would be very gravely affected by even a brief interruption of the transport services, said he had gone into the men's grievances very carefully and with a desire to be quite, unbiased by his own interests, and had' satisfied himself that on the score of wages and hours there was no good cause for complaint. The increased pay, speaking generally, had kept pace with the increased cost of living, and there had been no disposition on the part of employers to lengthen the hours without adequate recognition. There were difficulties in connection with the housing problem, however, which imposed much inconvenience, and even suffering, upon the workers and their families, and until these were removed by some State or municipal effort the position would remain unsatisfactory THE WORKERS' ATTITUDE.

The general attitude of the average worker towards the existing condition i is one of dull indifference. He is being constantly told he is not receiving a fair share of the products of hi? la'bor, and he honestly believes the capitalists are treating him badly .and the newspapers habitually misrepresenting him; but in spite of all this he is daily becoming less disposed towards strikes and better inclined towards political and constitutional action. The average worker, of course, is only a private in the labor army, and his experience of industria strife is that he pays the piper while his officers call the tune. The organisation to' which he belongs may be democratic enough in letter, but it is flagrantly bureaucratic in spirit. These are the influences that are making him more and more of a constitutionalist and less and less of an anarchist. THE SILVER LINING.

It is perfectly safe to say the rank and file of the labor army wish to adjust their differences with the employers without resort to direct action. This is one of the most hopeful facts in connection with the situation. Another is the appearance of an increased number of Labor members in the House of Representatives. Nothing was more obvious in the last Parliament than the sobering influence of responsibility and knowledge upon Mr. Peter Fraser and Mr. Robert Semple, and even upon Mr. Harry Holland. Mr. Fraser and Mr. Semple speedily recognised the advantages the representative in Parliament possessed over the agitator in the street, and quickly adapted themselves to their fuller opportunities. Mr. Holland had a reputation to sustain, and he did his best to sustain it. But Parliament is going to provide the safety-valve for Labor unrest, and Parliament need be none the worse for the service.