MINORITY ACTIVE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 286, 3 December 1938, Page 18

MINORITY ACTIVE.

BACK-DOOR TACTICS. COMMUNISTIC INFLUENCE. 'GROWING EVIL IN UNIONISM* ? "Tt is necessary to realise that the i militant minority within the union ranks is not really concerned with , improving economic conditions, and far I less with promoting that industrial harmony and increase in production which, as the Prime Minister points out, are essential to the success of his new deal," says "Zealandia." the Auckj land Catholic weekly, in an outspoken | : editorial concerning the activities of J unionists with Communist sympathies. | "And there is nothing haphazard oj; I negative about the minority's own plans. It.-i demagogues are working along delined Lines and toward one main objective; and that is, toward the creation of an accepted Communist menj talitv throughout the whole of the trade 1 unions. Apathy of Unionists. "Their policy is one of calculated ; obstruction, for the plain fact is that they do not want good government. They do not want the labour Administr. iicii to vindicate its policy or carry out its election pledges. They want Communism, and' it their cardinal theory that Communism has no ho]>e of thriving except in an atmosphere of class hatred, discontent and disorder. '"That is why the practical administration of the Labour Government is being consistently embarrassed by 'incidents' arising within the ranks of unionism itself. For the death-knell of the local Communist crusade is sounded if a democratic, institutional Government | can prove itself fully comj>etent to remedy industrial disabilities and economic injustice. We say 'the deathknell of the crusade.' but with a reservation as regards, the paid agitators who represent internationalist interests. These are the prime movers among the obstructionists who. even when a Lahour I'rime Minister is urging the nee<l for harmony and co-operation, are employing back-door tactics with the aim of disorganizing industrial and national unity. •'That such thing* are possible is clearly due to the apathy of union members, who. had they been sufiiciciitlv interested and energetic, could long ago have put the disruptive element where it rightly belongs. The great mass of trade unionists are sound , at heart, and in principle arc as genu- i inely interested in the welfare of the ( country us are other classes. Hut thev j neglect their obligations in that they < fail to make their influence felt. Most ! of them rarely attend a union meeting, i and are willing to give an apathetic 1 approval to whatsoever business may s have been transacted by the extremists ] who invariably dominate the meetings." <