ENEMY EMPLOYEES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 143, 18 June 1915, Page 4

ENEMY EMPLOYEES

A UNION'S ATTITUDE. The question, of ike employment of enemy subjects recently came under the official notice of the executive of the Wellington Hotel Workers' Union.. An hotel worker of Austrian birth in an hotel at Wanganui was objected to by some of his fellow employees, and was eventually dismissed. After "consideva. tion of the principles involved in this incident, the executive of the union deemed it advieable^to state to branches and members in country towns uncjer the jurisdiction of the union, the position which it intends to take up on the matter. The principles, as endorsed by a full meeting of the executive, were as follow : — "(1) That war between nations shall not be made the excuse 'for the oppression and victimisation of any individual worker by his 'fellow workmates, merely, because that individual worker's birthplace nhappens to be the enemy's country : Provided that such individual worker always maintains a strictly neutral attitude on the war ; "(2) That on the general question of the employment of enemy subjects in war time, the Government of the day should lay down guiding rules; "(3) That it is not advisable for our union, or any union, to give a lead on the matter ; "(4) That in any shop^ or workplace where an enemy subject *is employed, such enemy subject shall be imm«iiately handed over to the Defence Authorities if it is known and proven that he at any time flaunts his standing as an enemy subject, says anything disrespectful of our King and country, or does anything to belittle or endanger the success of the British arms; "(5) That by the right of our laws and liberties the strictly neutral enemy subject resident in New Zealand has the right to work and earn his living until such time as the Government shall decide on the interning and upkeep^ of all 'enemy subjects within the Dominion." It was considered by the executive that in such a matter as this action should not be taken by any individual or any union, but by the responsible administrative authority — the Government of the day.