WHAT IS THE ALLIANCE OF LABOR?

Taranaki Daily News, 18 March 1922, Page 12

WHAT IS THE ALLIANCE OF LABOR?

OPEN LETTER TO POST AND TELEGRAPH OFFICERS. To the members of the Po-st and Telegraph Officers’ Association we respectfully submit the following matter for consideration, as it affects every person in the service. As you know, an effort is being made to induce your association to affiliate with the Alliance of Labor. Whether you ballot for so joining or not rests with you, but it is right that before being called upon to vote the whole truth as to what this Alliance means should be placed before you. What is the Alliance of Labor? Has its full constitution ever been published so that you could read it for yourself and judge of the matter without being influenced by anyone? These are fair questions to which you should require definite answers.

We have before us now the Press report of a meeting of the Auckland section. of your Association, held on Saturday, February 18. Mr. J. H. McKenzie, Dominion President, and Mr. H. E. Combs, general secretary, gave addresses on the alliance and the question of affiliation. After reading these speeches we have no hesitation in saying that neither speaker set out plainly the true aims of the alliance, but simply presented such features as might convince the members of the desirability of affiliation. In this matter we contend that the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth should in honesty be presented by your officers. First of all it should be pointed out that, as reported by Mr. J. Roberts, the alliance secretary, the objective is:—“The collective ownership of the means of production and distribution and the control of the industries by the workers who operate them in the interests of the community.” That is the Socialist objective, exactly the same in principle as the objective of the old Red Federation of Labor, which read:—“The socialisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange.” Further it should be explained that again according to Mr. J. Roberts (who must know), the aims oi the alliance are:

(1) “To have the Parliamentary representatives of the people elected by groups of individual trades, from wharf laborers to bankers, rather than by the present haphazard method of geographical representation.” (2) “To give control of the manual carrying out of the different industries to the worker.” (3) “To confine industrial disputes to the department in which they originate ” MR. COMBS WRONG. When Mr. Combs assured the meeting at Auckland that “the alliance was not a political organisation; as the alliance expanded it would include all shades of political opinion; its objects were entirely industrious,” he was stating what is certainly not correct. We ask you how can the alliance have the aim (No. 1) of revolutionising the Parliamentary system without being a political organisation? Again, how can persons of all shades of political opinion honestly support the Socialist objective of the Alliance? We put it straight to Mr. Combs whether he honestly meant that members could be Liberals, Reform or Labor and yet sincerely support the alliance objective of the “collective ownership of production and distribution and control of industries by the workers? Dare he answer that question?

On the question of “strikes” we observe that both speakers pleaded that the Alliance was not a strike making organisation. They ought really to have explained that it would depend on circumstances. These words of Mr. Combs want some thinking out. “It might be that in some time of national trouble, when ths service was heart and sou] with those who were fighting, the alliance might order the officers to remain at work, and they would then have to remain, whatever their feelings.” So the alliance “might order,” but suppose it ordered the officers to cease work: we suppose if it could order one wav it could order the other? Note the veiled form of Mr. Combs’ language. Is there no one in the service game enough to ask him to take the mask off? Altogether we submit to you that in connection with the Alliance business there is far too much mystery, pretence, talking in cunningly devised phrases, professions which are false on the face of them. Is it not a plain fact that the alliance is an attempt to form the “One Big Union” of all wage-earners to take over the industries of the Dominion? How is it going to be done without a physical revolution you will do well to consider.

The questions for the civil servants are: —Can the Alliance of Labor give you what you want ? It it going to do it by a big strike, by revolution, or by political action ? Apparently Messrs McKenzie and Combs look for none of these three courses from the Alliance. You should ask him what other course remains.—We are, Yours faithfully, N.Z. WELFARE LEAGUE.