The Daily News. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1920. DEALING WITH STRIKERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 February 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1920. DEALING WITH STRIKERS.

It is now between two and three months since the marine engineers in Australia called a strike. A week ago they took a ballot on the question of resumption, with the result that there was a majority of 215 against ending the strike. It was thought that the trouble, when it started, would be over in a week or two, but it has continued, with the result that many large industries are now partly or wholly idle, it being estimated that 25,000 men in Australia are out of work. In Sydney alone there are thousands' of waterside workers and carters who are faced with starvation, necessitating Government relief! In Melbourne there are 9000 unemployed owing to the strike, and the Wharf Workers' Union applied to Mr. Hughes for assistance. Itt Adelaide, restrictions had to be enforced to prohibit electric power for industrial purposes, and to drastically restrict the use of gas and electricity for lighting and cooking, while Brisbane reports a famine in foodstuffs. The whole of the meat canning works in New South Wales have been obliged to close down, involving 2000 men being compulsorily idle. All the large inter-State steamers are tied up at the wharves, while Burns, Philp and Co. have announced their intention to dispose of their Island fleet of vessels, and to build no further ships at present. All this distress and paralysis of industry is the outcome of what Mr. Hughes describes as the "bush attitude" of the engineers, whose present rates of pay are £ls 10s per month for juniors and £42 for seniors, but they demand the raising of these rates to £l9 5s and £6l. They were offered a slight advance on the New Zealand rates of £lB and £SO, which they rejected by a majority of 49. No compromise is in sight. "If," said Mr. Hughes, "the men remain out for sis months, they will he no better off than they are to-day." In view of the engineers' ultimatum, the Federal Government could not well adopt a policy of inactivity. Day by day the results of the strike were becoming more intolerable, and at last the Government took the matter in hand by issuing a drastic proclamation forbidding outside support, and proall strike contributions, loans of money or goods to the strikers. The banks have been instructed to refuse the Institute of Engineers to withdraw funds, and heavy penalties are to be imposed on any "person, organisation, or association" aiding, by word or deed, the continuance of the strike, while the question of deregistration of the union has been brought before the Court. The evident object of the proclamation is to make the obstinate strikers suffer in the only way that will be likely to bring them to reason. Practically, the Government's ultimatum is: Work or starve! The action of the Federal Cabinet is stated to have caused considerable excitement; That is quite possible, for there was, doubtless, no expectation that the Government would take [ such drastic action by resorting I to the use of powers given under War Legislation. There will probably be much criticism of the Government's action, but it is evident that the Cabinet has arrived at the same conclusion as Mr. Lloyd George, namely, that there can only be one Government in a country. The New South Wales Premier (Mr. Holman) has lost no time in describing the proclamation as autocratic. Considering the enormity of the evil caused by this strike it is perplexing to find that, responsible authorities in the States do not welcome—instead they deprecate —an end to the trouble. More incomprehensible still is the attitude of the workers who are suffering heavily as the result of the strike and the terrible distress it imposes on their wives and children. It is the workers who should put pressure on these strikers, but they are so enmeshed in Unionism that they appear to be without volition, and sooner than stand up like men to condemn tactics that produce starvation and paralysis of industry, they merely beg assistance from the Government. Much as harsh measures are to be deplored, it is time that one section of the community is made to realise, even by bitter experience, that it cannot make war upon the remainder. Now that the Federal Government has put its hand to the task of breaking a strike that should never have been entered upon, there should be no turning back until the end in view is attained, and those who have the best interests of the people at heart should support the Government in all legitimate action directed, towards bringing obstinate

strikers to reason, otherwise there will be an end to order and good government, and chaos will reign.