The Daily News. SATURDAY, JULY 1, 1022. THE LABOR WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 July 1922, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, JULY 1, 1022. THE LABOR WORLD.

Mattei's connected with the evolution of Labor policy and problems appear to be more chaotic than ever. The Labor Party’s Conference in Britain seemingly agreed on one important point, that it would have no dealings with Soviet organisations, which were denounced as having “violated the best instincts of humanity, and hindered the progress of Socialism and democracy throughout the world.” It is something to be thankful for that at last British Labor, however extreme it may be, has recognised that the best instincts of humanity can be violated. Possibly, in time, it may also recognise that the people have a just claim to be considered by Labor, and that the principle of a square deal all round is one that should form the basic of all organised action. It is also pleasing to note that the Conference, by a card vote, rejected the admission of Communists to the Labor party by the overwhelming majority of more than ten to one. That, also, is a hopeful sign as far as it goes, though it leaves militant labor still in command. Apparently nothing but the pressure of circumstances and the pinch of unemployment will bring home to the Labor party the basic fact that there is no way of evading those immutable economic laws which govern all national questions, and that it is only by greater production that a return to normality can be brought about. If there were more time and attention paid to solving the problem of restoration, and less time and energy wasted on the attempt to obtain political power, the interests of the workers would be more surely and speedily advanced. Labor leaders have only to note the immense amount of money wasted over the effects of direct action, in order to be convinced of the folly of strikes. The. All-Austra-lian Labor Conference appears to be striving hard to bring about a unitv that will enable the dream of “One Big Union” to be realised. The aim of this organisation is to Socialise all industries, meaning thereby the domination of the Commonwealth, and what that domination would be requires no explanation in the light of what has taken place in the sister Dominion in recent years. If, however, any doubt exists as to the extreme length which. Labor can go. it is only necessary to note the events recently occurring in America, where a series of horrors have been perpetrated far transcending any that have hitherto stained unionism. The strike riots at Herrin have a record of outrages and violence which is almost unbelievable. The fiendish ferocity of the strikers in their treatment of nonunion strike breakers and their families forms an indictment of such great strength against unionism that should make it difficult for unionists to live down, whilst the worst feature of the massacre is that individual members of the union are inclined to boast, of the acts, “pointing out wliat will happen to non-union strike-breakers if they again attempt to break up a strike.” It may be that only in America, with its cosmopolitan population from all parts of the globe, that such a massacre could be possible, but the fact of labor disputes proceeding to such deplorable conduct is a blot on civilisation. Happily the workers in New Zealand, even the extreme section, are formed on different lines. The fact, however, remains that, there can he but one government in a country, and that just as all sections of the community are equal under the law. so must they be law-abiding. Once any section of the people takes the law into its own hands, with the foolish idea of being able by force toi secure its demands, then there is : no knowing what may happen before sanity, together -with law and. order, is restored. In the end it is by negotiation that disputes ere settled. # Why wait till passions are let loose and outrages committed? Far better to adopt the principle of conciliation and setlie disputes at the outset by confr-f--l ence or mediation. Every sti •' outrage as that at Herrin only ’• flames the community agab -I | unionism and alienates the symjiai thv of the people from the can p lof Labor. .To ado£tj£gxolui;.on. ■

measures is the surest way to court repressive -action. Unionists, if they are wise, will recognise this and act accordingly.