THE BLACKBALL STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 150, 19 March 1908, Page 4

THE BLACKBALL STRIKE.

Sir,—Your<_ 'caustic remarks- anent. tho? Blackball strike would make it appear that.organised (?) labour; on the/.West .Coast';has. sinned and is; sinning; against constitutional' authority absolutely * without. enusa:',,.ldo. : not .hold this view; tar from it. I am a, sensitive, proud working human being (just,'; perhaps, a, little more fortunate than' tho' majority of the world's producers, and that is all), but I would rather go to gaol'tor a' hundred lifetimes than endure the ono' lifetime of a coal miner, v. It is easy—oh, so,-' -easy-r-to sit-in'affluence and judge the worker, from such a position, but how many "of thoso who do so have ever \ been compelled to work . in a .mine,. or; ,'at .any- other, form ! of; Jaborioua . work. " And wha, once having .toiled in tho bowels ofthe earth, could forget, the depressing hopelessness which'accompanies the daily ; ' monotonous routine, v ,-v : ■ We. .liavo, ._ in' past v -years,' consistently:; strived fo maintain our children' in: an atmo- ; sphere: of. refinement; and purity.we.' have ; taught' them/ in ' their childhood' to ;■ love * tlio, beauties of Nature's . bounteous' store,;;- tho fresh .air,' the !TOnshino;Ythb healthful'; exer-:< cise of the'physical and' mental 'faculties,. '-. and ; the companionship "of the worthy and.-, artistic^ —all' this '.and much more ,wo> havoY; : done for them, and then—we cast them intoah, everlasting, dungeon tp hew coal, where ! not a!'.vestige of tho former life'presents self I ' ' Aye, . and -when- disconsolate murmurs; escape these : hapless mortals, : wo-warm; our.-, hands by the ' tire, : which they' hata; made;.; dip our pons ini.soulless'murky fluid, and write; scathing denunciations upon tho i" iin-1 1, .scrupulous agitators .who■' have disturbcd'itlio 1 peaceful : calm : : and ; i 'serene : contentment : hitherto existing in. a coal mine." ; Oh,. what a boundless love inan has not for bis follows i. And some IAPp.^ :i t : p ; the 'Tyorld;, with the remnant'wliilp it is'actually. unlaw-. ■ ful. .to . tender, sympathy to disgusted miner.jylio',asks..for-..anotherMu.mli''. from': the Stable of the, rich" man!; v ;: „ " ilt is hard, .indeed,, to believe that every'' ."fair-minded','- man ''in'"/this, country, is against these strikers.;-! yet;, sir,' you say-;it. is so. But' I offer no apology to any' man or government; for-making_ bold to'say:'thatiny' fullest sympathy' is .withi".not only- the ': miners of Blackball; but'with'.every working',, human atom in tho industrial world, to-dayj and, : .if this is, a crime,'then'T:am' a piroud criminal, and crave leave to, be ,ranked with minds "unfair."

Sir, tho workers >ro'not, getting justice ,to- - ■ day.... Tho question .1 for them :to decide .is; How will justice bo.obtained? Think you . 'twould 'be wise to'wait tlie. mercy ; and con-' . veuience- of- ; your/' fair-minded " .nieri, or a ' second edition of the -Arbitration Act? ■ 'I fancy not. . Tho slogan of ; to-day among the workers is- organise! organise 11_ organise 1 11 : organiso in shop and factory, in mine ana • mill,', iu every walk, of ,industrial life, tho world o'er; organise,; that this soulless, degrading, inhuman ' scramble _ for bread may /cease, arid, justice—sweet .;jristice—ba the everlasting reward, of ii deserving * working , am,ctc. V : MisKl . lGnT>

Levin, 17.: