A FEDERATION ADMISSION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 23 December 1913, Page 4

A FEDERATION ADMISSION.

In an official statement in. regard to the strike, the Federation of Labour says:—"lt was only the unfair, if not the unscrupulous use made by the State, of the powers vested in it in support of the employers that the fight ended as it did. There is not a shadow of doubt but for that gross misuse of the powers of government, victory would have been with us." What does this mean? Can it mean anything else but that if the Government had failed to take special forces to the cities to maintain law and order, the community. would have been overpowered'and terrorised into submission to the. J Federation ? If the "m aintenance of law and ord ® r is a'Jpisuse of the powers of governments, then it is a pretty look-out for the country if an Administration should read office which does not; re'cognise its obligation in such a ter. The Federation states that it has been beaten by the Government, and not by the-employers. Such a statement is a feather in the cap of the Government. But we.are strongly' of opinion that the Federation contributed largely to its own defeat by its insane and blundering metliods.