AFTER THE STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1941, 26 December 1913, Page 5

AFTER THE STRIKE.

'■'"; Sir',—As : '\vo'iinvo arrived at what may l>3 .cnllorl-.an' epoch -in- tlio history of the ivatcrsicio. nntCtlirt. ef! ikoj 1 feel like cxpressitis""n fow-,'tlioi'iilits■ on this im-nort-ant suhiectSMucli .lias befit said in praise, of'the ■. volunteers'of fron lalir.tir and ippcia! police.' l and no doubt thoy ..have '■ filled ivory- important positions.' There is-another function, however, that 1. .am' .ponvincctl has hern nreatlv overlooked'hy. tlio general publie and tlio workers especially. In some eases- lli'rte nuiy. have been'considerable self-sacrifice and. 'iricohvomoiire. on the parli.-of fanners:.'cominji''down -from theeouiitry/'io'eavry out."and', protect tlw work and; cxportinn Iba vrodu'ee,.- hnt'in niosl.'f'iisr-s'Hhe ■ self-sani-ifico:" tlimjuislspcl'. . if not ob!i!erntedi ; >bv:Hhe! ; f;!efethat ,1 lie.'work has been woli'Daid foiv-Uiu! the question nrisqs':>'.f\Y))o' lias'carried the. burden of the .extra expense occasioned by the strike?" .'But- for■-tJie wise ami luck! address by,Mr'.- Pryor-.at n-mnot-'ids: of ;the : tview|'union^'.we ;: niight not

the ' work ; : .•is^:niiiM''riii'tl ; ..iliis has lir>i>n.- cariied'-ibv.,. ' ;l!in^;il!W'!is^;.li<'f(Mi< : <vC(ii!Jrniii('iv fioui ■ ?Vtt.fnii"clsi : :'iis(-il>=for .lli<.' ; "(ini-jw)s<?-t>v' 'volini-' . :t:uo-Ssiilis'ci'i'|itmiiH-:: 'iliisiiis '< wheieW.t ; a f h; ill US:* j.i -i i j r-«n«- rs r k';o* i■» is : >'i ■'■. 1 V(M\li'Kd?yiin(!M'-Voi( ; p"Uip s'p'ntii'iicii'ts'cif: ■al!}-jigl;i;thin!;mg In lionroi-»'; : iti..\J r-inl*''rr.'; '■iiiu<S«iirJ-Kiiici!r(! '-Kriititinlo'i?i«'i'7^:iM'#wlm*' ! /lv,".*y'-A J ;s|iirilM)l';plM|ant,hm|)\;.>n(l.TnVi'-J ■ , lorcnsioiisViduriiig^^this'' -11ryin'n- : '^iiinoT : bc'en * very ?i pproriativo:vnisH' : Kor.- ; insiaucb; : 'when "weniavo ; if! , oiii^riiii''-(|iiar!pi;»''\vnJiav{!'; , pitlip!b,;liPP)i'' : :>ampd^<v;'ami'Ti : b';;in'':>' Ktcamhoat'i'vir-rf. 'tauiu'luhasjhppn'hrought--,to''us;hy3oui\ : -'superiors', in?'n o ? ."h)nl*'/ > nrcf;i] '.maimer':''?/You iiiay sny ; ih:it.tliis..i.s"only .as l^it.f■ i sllolllcl;'■l)p',*,w]lipll ,, .rila.v. , J)R ,/ ri(£lll,' , ' ~l>tit- rf_kiiow' l>yexperience that it is-.very (Jiirpiriityfro.'iv wliat' has been'in-other lpiist'.'.'. 1 suppose that, my experience 'is very, unique. ■' I can snv thatv ; --l.;"waV'working. on the wharf, at Ckristiatii.'ij'hhoiit 80. .years ago. I and another young, lad' tool; a contract to wheoL/lho roiil: off a .-vessel—appliances ■were/not-scr advanced then as now—for so much a-basket: :.Bnt when iour-boss found that'; we were making so 'much ..hoj. altered' tlta. agreement and paid . : us 4s; Gfl.'.T- tlnyj' which wo' thought was a;.vci'V' high wage. I remember \ho brought'us into a -restaurant to pay us efi¥ and*asked me to go over to'tho bar for-a bottle of beer. ' I-said "No!" and.lie swore,at nie. and sent somebody else.-... Other conditions in the way of cost of .Hying, have'not changed "in proportion ■ to tho change of payment. But I. do. not mean to imply that the wages, nro too high now, especially for some of the. work.- I believe that it was much underpaid before. But it is well to .. mako comparisons that may servo as an antidote for discontent which is not confined_ to the strikers only., it has boon evidenced even in tho new union, and it is the original sourco of all the trouble in the world. Que, day as I was coming. from tho wharf a striker took mo by surprise. His appearance and manner wero gentlemanly and I am sorry that I had rsot more time to explain my position to him then.-- He appealed to my conscience and said that I knew I was doing wrong by working, and asked nm if I did not know tho rules, etc. I will probably not have any other opportunity and I want to say to him, through tho medium pf your columns, that the only- rules that I recognise and which arc-binding for us .all read thus: "That yo.'study in bo quiet and to do your own business and to work with your hands, as we commanded you." If you belong to any federation or union whose rules ■ are contrary to the above, tho sooner you sever yourself from it tho bettor for- you. It lias been proved again and again that strikes aro destructive instead of constructive, and it is to be hoped that tho old watcrsiders will have learned wisdom enough never- to listen to agitators or loaders on the downward track again. And in conclusion I said that I was willing to give my place to anyone in need of work. I am considering this at the present juncture, though it seems a greater sacrifice to me than it, was to come;-the climate is healthy and the work- is intTcsting, though some of it I do not understand very well. But there may be those who need it more than I do. r ■ Thanking- you in anticipation though there has been literature worthy.' of a reformation in your columns of late.on the above subicei.—l am, etc., 1 : ; ■■£~>;.. COSMOPOLITAN.