LABOUR IN POLITICS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 77, 24 December 1907, Page 9

LABOUR IN POLITICS.

Sir, —rYour ,gj;p,y,ci]so"ij,;., wlio replies to my lottpl" ,under,.tjip heading, while 'agrceingC ; toVpiio. o afgiiinenl;: used by me, viz., that itliere .is,jio"real'-tlif.-/ forence on fundamental,,principled"jjbTjt-ivBOiV either tho followers of ; , Sir,; josepjj lYjrdj.pr' Mr.'. Masey, takes exception sto- ; )jho,; sufi"! gestion that the.substitut-io'n/of State ; ownorr ; ship, -as advocated by the, LaboTO'.Par,t l v,vjpi place of present'.private,,fiwnj>rsh",ip:".^,ftji?,; land and industries, which arise from tho exploitation by thcipapitalist section of the commuuity_of 2the_worker.s. The aim of manufacturing', concerns,,; etc., is not to benefit the^Dominion, nor .t ; o givjj oniployment. Their first., aimiiis!th'p'y ab'tajii-: 4 ,' ing of .profit from More ownership, of itself ', does not profit; workmen are .employed, that prbfiT may bo obtained, ther'least. wages'-aiur the least number of workmen pfo'duce the desired result bqing em-, ployed by tho successfulJy/ employer.'] Employers are keoping to themselves all*]th.e,'diffei ; e'nt;e..,'pvqr. wages and other expenses' ,whicl]i.ithcy,..qb r> tain from'the om'ploymenV.pK jabpur .piij ihiar. land, in factories, or steamsliips. 'J: '..".','l^'":.". •

Personally, supporter',pf;', n tße. principlo of publicly-ownpdv land,try', and an opponent-., -..'the' svs-l.' tern of privately -i'.piVn'ecl",riaHd!, rr . and" nioans of ; ( productipp..,",:iwliicb. s v inNow Zealand, I for getting tho most wliicE'tlie. law .cnal)les.j him to obtain. I. sea ii.o iiii.'h'lam-., ing the landlord, I who (? j;aiscs t rreni; l opportunity, nor the mariufacturer, '.whoraisos prices whonover increased ''demand' 1 makes an-"increase possible., I. WQulct-' i(rgo, however, that the objcctiv«i J! 'df''the private owner or employer,, that is J-p,. obtain, high;' ■rent or as great a return qf,rp*iont.*os'.,is f siblo after'payment. of,.jYagcs,.,and.^o,tlicf,,,e ixpenses no lonpor remaiiis .and-,in;-_ dustry is' .Wned anQ T .superyised"l)y;i t tlip" Stato on. a. prodvictipn-f.orrus<3;-.b?sis. v .llß.,its place, is established the i all industry should be-undertaken, 'yiz.;. ; thp, production in tho the necessaries people, that all may live v up'. to,a yery.liigli; standard of civilißatiori;' 1 ■ That'-private'em-. ployers provide employment for_ fljorkmciunthoir endeavour to. obtain\ T profiti , is''''airrm'';! ciderit, workmen' would''"cbrfairily , '/'be'''''dis l -' pensed with .were. thae : "pp;ssible'j' v and 'it"is ! doubtful whothef any greafr : credi.f is due to them for that incident^ 1 niSre especially as experience shows that:''oi(ly"wheii the worker is young and vigorous-4ln!fact'a good profitproducing machine—ca'ii htf" expect to bo in constant employment. ~,With,.tho extension of the principle of public ownership, for which the Labour -Party, stands,,:jt' ( will be possible to so organiso..-ih'dvtstry!. ? tliat. evon wheii' the demand for accessaries and luxuries is much greater than-nowj when workpeople demand better houses, better.clothes, and even luxuries, itl : *oul3"A)oIpos8lblei?fo materially reduco tho hours.,of ljiboijr, wihile wages could' be .meet monts. ■ :' : ' ' i'tis-sn Himia

■I agree with, your cqirospQiid<mt,- ; that> thoj substitution o( public ,own.er,sjiip lo oifect all desired reforms, nan becomu a form of 'exploiKifimv'.it labour when the'ideas of those.ivW'r'aQfii'inisteV'p ll ! , "' licly-ownod couoerns ar'e.Hsjiiiila'i: twtiiibso-of' tho capitalist/who simplji dosires?i)rofitifromthose engaged in thq. industry,., ;P,ublicly-. owned' industries; cost to bo based uppn good conditions to tlio-'work'er, aiur'tlic'cle-:. merit of profit, iii ordiriary"coilception of-tlio word, could'bo ! 'cntiroly.i!«xoluded. : j" l ,, oD>.es-i uniplcj, the Now , ' tea-, sonablp'rates, meet tho piib|ie^ I f()gu.ir.(!niente,' i and in''tho 190(j-i there 'remained..a ; not profit of £812,118. 'lt*'th'c"sanfp'tiind"th"o' workers on the lower paid ineflicieut wages. That £8I8;118',r-orj-.QV.etf half of it, if added on the wagcsj-pftlioso receiving loss thaii.£2oQ Voulcl'liayo. a very uoneficial effect) aiid cessitate ono'penny increiiSq'in'.rrttcs of'l'dij , -'- way transit. It is necesaryy tliferoforo; that men who have pledgedvJtheinselyos'Hto? the Labour Party 'should bo returned' to l?ar'i a .-; inont to ensure that pub,licly^os , f n.ed,,cjpnpprns' shall bo conducted in siich^-manlier that the public servant, however hfgli ot £ -low c his position, shall rcceivo c6nsid6ratib'n,-'togoth'o'r with thoso for whom hoicatexsoH-ThftiNow; Zealand Labour - Department ,:cou]d,,;'nnd.cr ;a moro oxtonded system and industry, find employment lor ev'ory ap-. plicant.' , N -!-V" ■]«.-_. ?tc>*.-. \-h. The adoption of these , * general will cause tho burden of-'rontt:and; profits-it-burden to all except tho.se-whp reoeivp;;it.—to disappear, and-tho wopk<m.must,.,t-bor : e£pr(y bo enabled to obtain a.: ; fions.idej;ab.ly. grea|u,r, portion of tho wealth which ..ho'; produces. What is known as in voluntary- poverty, would cease to exist. Voluntary,.povorty;,wouldjam* doubtedly remain while wo bepd unsp or while thoso responsi_blo.\for:. J thp.;. ) tcach'mg of morals and forming-.of.'olVaracter.jcpntinue but partially successful-invtraiiiing pur-peo-pjo to regard indulgencotiui ynripuS: forms,of vice and gambling as nen. This form of poverty, ; whidi-; : .mYplvcs the saving of tho citizen jfrom,his ; own .passions and failings,, is jnosi-d.ifßcu.lt,; jf,-,l)rit impossible to remove by:. i Act-.pf..-Parliamont, and-apparently the most ; ofi;ectivp,;niethoaiß to provido tlio very bcstiiormj'of education. Conduct and morals can: .be .taught., e.qμal!y with the moro elementary rudiments'/pf kn.p.\yledgo. Tho various oroods> canvbe by thoir udhoronts at thoiii.owh,expense and outr sido the publioly-owned schools. ",;i, .;,; On these linos will tho Labour Party procoed, and, .established a.s-it tlibso who have proved thoir sincerity.Jii, tho pasjt, and by tho elected delegates pf. u nunic,r..o.us.'..tradp unions, I fail to seo thnti'^lri'•- Stovonsoii has any grounds for describing.the Laboiird'arty as'n bogus party, and w;v:iiing..tho;wp,rkcrs v to nvoid. candidates who pledge ;,thenis.cJves.,to the committee which lias bceu'set liipVto ensure tho return to Parliament, pf iuoh.'jvho will give tho claims of.li;p'oui;'tliej_r, vljrst',cqnsideration. Thanking 'you in I am, etc., CHA;g..,tt;;pI : LiPJLVN.'::: Wellington, December",?!._ : '.' J *V.\ ; 'i! >JJ '!'! ! ' '"