The Daily News. FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 1921. DIRECT ACTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 March 1921, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 1921. DIRECT ACTION.

During the course of fiis pre-sessional speech, on Monday -evening, Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., disclaimed any intention of saying or doing anything that might tend to embarrass the Government in the difficult position it was in to-day. It was an admirable sentiment, for one of the biggest troubles New Zealand is faced with at present is industrial, there being in the continuous labor unrest all the elements of a conflagration that might, unless carefully handled by the Government, and the community generally, cause grave injury to the country. It is a time when the Government should be accorded the support of all who have the welfare of the Dominion at heart, and who believe in constitutional government But Mr. Smith did not act up to his sentiment-3, for he immediately proceeded to show that direct action paid better than constitutional methods in dealing with the Government. He was referring to last year’s railway strike, which he endorsed and endeavored to justify. Now, this unhappy trouble would never have occurred if the railwaymen ha'd had any regard for the interests of the public, who quickly made their resentment felt, especially in the circumstances of the Prince’s visit. It was chiefly because of the public’s almost unanimous opposition that the strikers came to their better senses and returned to work whilst the merits of their grievances were considered by the authorities. The whole strike was most unfortunate, and would—it should be added to the credit of the service—never have come about if the advice of the wiser leaders had been heeded. We do not desire to refer further to a trouble that ought to be forgotten, but we do wish to protest against the member for Taranaki getting up in public b &nd endeavoring to justify, if only

inferentially, direct action industrial methods. It is a dangerous doctrine to support, especially at the present time when there is so much unrest, and when the country is passing through troubles incidental to the lower-

ing of values and to reconstruction. New Zealand is the freest land upon Earth;-Jack has che same voting power as his master; and the ballot weapon, not the strike weapon, is the one to use. Direct action leads to the underof our whole constitutional system, and for that reason, if for no other, cannot be condemned too strongly. The person who advocates direct action methods is really no true friend of labor nor of the country. It has to be said in Mr. Smith's favor that he used the case of the railwaymen as an indictment against the Government for its handling of industrial troubles, but his championing of direct action methods even in this way cannot be taken without protest.