THE STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 138, 5 March 1908, Page 6

THE STRIKE.

The Government is gaining, nothing, but losing; a great deal, in postponing the institution of ,proce6dings against the Blackball strikers. The men have

now !_been in revolt for 'practically a week', openly - expressing their contempt for the Arbitration Act and, its Court, and making; the Government's hesitancy,, the' subject •of triumphant jeers. It does no.t appear- to . have struck Ministers that every fresh day of disorder at Blackball, makes more

difficult .the initially', difficult, problem of securing respect for tfie law. 'Even the most faithful of the Government's friends is shocked at the weakness of the' Ministerial attitude.; It cannot be contended that the Government's de- 1

lay has been due to the necessity for obtaining a full repor.t of the circumstances surrounding tie case. A telegram from the local official of the Labour Department would have given the Government nearly a week ago an official intimation of the ' simple fact .that the .men were oh strike, and ; action required no further warrant such a message. . ~ The attitude of the men has, from' the. beginning, given no reason to think that they would attempt to come to an agreement with the Company on fair and honourable, terms. Their at-

titude throughout, has . been that of men. determined to get ; their. own way, and to force the Company to its knees. Even Mr.' Millar's statement on' Monday that lie would , see that the law was enforced failed to incline. the strikers towards peace: As it is impossible for. the Minister to (Jefeud his inaction, so it is impossible for him, after his statement of Monday, to hold his haiid indefinitely. : . The : course taken by the late Mr. Seddon in the case. ,6f the Shops and .Offices Act— : namely, the. suspension of the Act until Parliament hadj; an opportunity of reconsidering the have been the best . course for the alarmed Ministry to follow, but for the that it could only be followed ■by inflicting the gravest possible injustice upon the Blackball Company. While the: Blackball strikers are, permitted to defy the law, no employer-of" labour in .the !country can feel safe. This is the , most important aspect ,of the .whole wretched, situation.

The Arbitration Act is not merely an Act to punisli offenders ; it is a measure intended to 1 secure industrial peace by giving the workers a guarantee of fair [conditions,., arid the employers a guarantee that their interests will not be placed at the mercy of labour lawlessness. Whatever may follow the enforcement of the Act against the miners, and the Government need not make up its mind that the result will be a widespread revolt, the law must be upheld or abandoned. What has been' restraining the Ministerial hand has been the fear of offending Labour, and alienating Labour's support in the coming elections. : Ministers _generally, and Mr.' Millar himself in particular, have been at great pains .to assure Labour that it can obtain the best results for itself by faithfully supporting the Government. ; Naturally enough, since the Government attaches so niuch importance to the friendship of the trades unions, Labour has decided that it must, receive a quid pro quo. The price which it asks—not in so many words, but by actions speaking as plainly as_ any words—is one which cannot be paid without a wrong being inflicted upon the people outside the pale of trades unionism. The recollection of his appeal to the-workers for alliance a few months ngo must be an embarrassing memory to the.;. Minister just now. It is to be hoped' that the present disturbance will teach the Government Borne useful facts about ■its aUy,