POLITICAL ACTION

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 20, 24 January 1913, Page 8

POLITICAL ACTION

IN LABOUR'S INTERESTS THE FEDERATION 1 CONFERENCE. TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS; The delegates to the conference convened by the Federation of Labour continued their deliberations this morning, when discussion was resumed on Mr.- Ross's Solidarity motion, and the following amendment moved by Professor Mills :: — > "Totheend of securing complete industrial and political unity, this conference urges all industrial and political Labour bodies maintaining a 'Dominion organisation, and not identified with the United Labour Party, to appoint each a commission with as many members f«s it may like, but with power to act, to meet and confer with the Easter Conference^ of the United Labour Party, and to undertake the complete consolidation of Labour both for political" and industrial I purposes, and to forthwith inaugurate I that body or bodies as a going concern. "Failings in this, then to undertake a Creation of a single body for industrial I purposes and another single, body for political purposes, but in that case to so relate the Dominion organisation for political action to the Dominion organisations of the'industries that the Party of Labour cannot be alienated from the Labour unions either in its policy or its control. 3. Failing to accomplish either of the above, then to undertake to secure an agreement under which all unions and other Labour bodies shall ' make local arrangements with each other such as will make\ possible the naming of, one candidate only standing for, the name of Labour for any office in any election. That ' until such time ' as there is a. complete organisation of all the workers along the lines of the industries and occupation,, in which they are' employed,' seeking for the solidarity of Labour, this conference urges that in all cases of strikes and lock-outs the Dominion organisation of the industry or occupation involved shall be the controlling organisation, and where possible a ballot of all members of the controlling organisation should be taken preceding an order to strike, and the co-operation of other bodies shall be sought for through their Dominion organisation, and such support shall be asked for after ample opportunity for deliberate action, including the taking of a ballot after the -same, manner as is suggested foi? the controlling body itself. INDUSTRIAL UNITY. The adjourned discussion on Mr. Hickey's motion and Mr. Mills's amendment re industrial arrangements pending the forming of a completely united industrial organisation was resumed. Mr. Fraser opposed- the amendment, which he said would have a most insidious effect. Delegates had expressed a desire for unity, but the amendment, would militate against industrial unity. They were living in the 20th century— -a time for clear and determined action. The amendment, in the event of "scab" slaughtermen being employed, would compel a prolonged and round-about procedure that would make blacklegs of the watersider, and would not permit the watersiders to take swjft action to help the slaughtermen. To be effective they must be prepared at any, time to throw in theip lot with the ' rest in time of strife. Mr. M'Lennan also opposed the amendment. It was, of course, necessary to have discipline in the organisation. The men involved in a trouble were the best judges as to whether they should fight or not. In every fight^the workers were always right and never wrong. How could they be wrong when they were only getting ; a fraction of the wealth they produced? If the Waihi miners had followed along the lines indicated in toe amendment, they would have been defeated before they could have utilised the ponderous and slow machinery proposed. LETTER FROM THE MAYOR. A letter was received from the Mayor of Wellington, extending the courtesy of the municipality to delegates and wishing the conference success in its deliberations. Mr. Ellis wished to support the amendment. He urged \that the industrial organisations in existence should be utilised in the direction of the motion carried for industrial unity. Mr. R', Semple said the resolution now before the conference meant that they would support the slaughtermen if necessary. They did not question the slaughtermen's right to sheath their knives. The employers were going to organise scab concerns under the 'Arbitration Act, and when "scab" meat camo to the wharf were the watersiders going to ask : "Did the slaughtermen take a ballot?" In such a case, the man who handled the "scab" carcase would bo as much a "scab" as the man who killed and dressed it. He objected to juggling with phrases, and he wanted to ccc the conference do something. RIGHT OR WROXG. - Mr. G. Farland said there was little difference between the ballot Mr. Massey wanted and the one Mr. Mills wanted. The ballot in this caso wis the refuge of a coward. The idea of such a ballot at the .waterside would be farcical, because any action they took must be sudden. A_ ballot such as' that proposed would give the capitalist press an opportunity to make a caso for the masters. Mr. Collins said he had been through various strikes in England and in .Australasia, and knowing what a strike meant, he objected to any outaido persons being permitted to say whether men should be allowed to strike or not. Quoting from the Arbitration Act, he showed that the special clauses Were put there for a special purpose. Tho fortnight's notice was to give time to get ." scabs." They had had a lively' experience of, this in the bakers' strike. To take a ballot as suggested by Mr. Mills would be to place their affairs in the hands of the .employers. Mr. Whiting supported the amendment. He denied that it meant that any outside body should be permitted to.control, a strike. He.waa as much in favour of unity us any one. Mr. Holland said the difference between "my class right or wrong" and "my couutry right or wiong" was that the workers were never wrong when they fought for more of the wealth their labour produced. The amendment rosolved into a declaration that they must take a ballot to decide whether ihev would fight for or scab Upon their fellow workers who might happen to be on strike. / WRONG INTERPRETATION. Mr. Hickey said the lesolution was being interpreted in a way that was not correct. > The resolution covered the whole field of the present stage of industrial organisation. As Mr. Collins 'said, every union must make provision tor business conduct. The Jabouv movement never piogressed by being mealymouthed, but by being militant, and the correct spirit to act upon was to lucognise ih« need for united action. A telegram was received fiom Mr. Laurenson^ M.P., wishing the conference success. Mr. Tregear said he was nominally in favour of the amendment. He coun- , gelled, mo^eratio^ and .would rather boo

a committee formed to draft some proposal on which they could agree than have the conference split on this, question. He was in favour of many things that had been put forward— as for-in-stance, that the watersiders ancj other workers should not handle material to help the employers against the workers on strike. At the same time, in the case of certain industries* especially where the stoppage of a milk supply might involve - the - lives of infants, he thought some special provision should be made. Mr. Wallis opposed the amendment. If he caet a ballot for the amendment, he would be insulting the members of the organisation he represented by doubting what their answer would be if ever they were asked whether they would' "scab" on their fellows on strike. "DO AWAY WITH SO-CALLED LEADERS." Mr. Moriarty said he would speak in favour of the amendment, because it would do away with co-called leaders. What right had any man to appoint himself a leader and call men out on strike?. He objected to combining industrial and political business. The slaughtermen had taken a ballot to decide whether they would strike. . Mr. Young said that the motion simply asked that they should take certain action in the event of a striken pending industrial unity. In the tram strike certain Labour men "had argued for 14 days' strike. T be n they had two meetings, and every hand went up. Indeed, every man stood tip. Then they took a ballot, ■ and every man voted for the strike, with two informal votes. If the boss hit him on one cheek, he wae not going to bed to. think it over for a fortnight, but he would " hit back on the job. To support the amendment would be to support the policy of Mr. Maeeey and the Government. The motion was put and carried on the voices by a large majority. It was resolved that a committee of twelve be appointed to draft constitution and principles of the proposed new organisation. ( 4 • A telegram was received from the Tinsmiths' Union, Christchurch, congratulating the ' confere&ce on its work. The Hon. W. F. Massey, in reply to conference's request for a deputation, wired from Taupo that it would be impossible for him to return to Wellington before the end of the month, owing to engagements already entered into. At this stage the conference adjourned for lunch.