STRIKES: THEIR BEGINNING AND ENDING.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 279, 22 November 1913, Page 15

STRIKES: THEIR BEGINNING AND ENDING.

MRS. MURPHY'S OBSERVATIONS. (By BARRY PAIN.) Of course, some gete put off their work on a matter of principle. That's called a strike, ao<l I've soon many of thcni. I've seen strikes of pret'y well everybody except the charwomen —nice lot of old guys wo Ebould look If we was to come out, too. I've seen strikes, but I don't understand them proper. First, oiie of the leaders pots up on a old box and he says: "Men, you're slaves. Look what bacon's up to. Cast your eye over the price of a spring cabbage. Everything's raised except your wages. You're being swindled and starved by the bloated capitalist. You ain't got no living wage. Out you come for another penny a i hour." And out they comes. To prove as they can't make a living by their wnrk, they shows they've saved enousrh to take a holiday. The workman takes a few nice-sized stones and fhe belt wlfb. fhe heavy bucUle. and goes out to do a Job of peaceful picketIng. Every fncak-thief in the place miles In, for where there's ft fight there may be pickings. Every day trade slips nway to j tie tune of thousands and thousands. It you want a man to pay you more, first thln.fr you do Is to see as he has less money to do It with. So It goes on. By the time the pawnshops has all g-ot the houpe-f\ill boards out. the gent, from the Board of Trade mnnages to pntcti something np. The employers give v little more than they wanted, and the men take a little less, and the newspapers (says "Peace Restored," and everybody seems very pleased. And what on earth they've got to be pleased about fairiy beats mc. What happens? The employers Is out of pocket by the loss of trade and increase of ■wages. They makes It good by putting up the price of their stuff r.gaicst the general public. Hunt through the general public and you'll find the chaps as sells the bacon and cabbages to them workmen, and youß fln-d them putting up their prices in turn. Nobody takes a lose if he can help It; he are. The strikers have got a little extra money, but they've put up the prices against thelnelves in doing of it. Maybe there's more in it than I can see. If there ain't strikes l≤ foolishcesfc