A PROTEST

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 63, 11 September 1915, Page 2

A PROTEST

THE NATIONAL REGISTER j UNITED FEDERATION OF LABOUE The following letter has been writtel by the secretary of the United Federal tion of Labour to the Prime Minister :- " Sir, — I have been instructed by th United Federation of Labour to express on its behalf, the strongest poseibl protest against the National R*gistratibi Bill introduced by you. It is conscrip tion pure and simple. Clause 5 contain provisions enabling the military authori ties to compel auy person to submit U medical examination for the purpose o ■ ascertaining his fitness for active service If this Bill is placed upon the Statute Book it is going to create serious dissension, at the time of the greatest cri&u in the history of the Empire, just th< time when all parties should be at .rait}' with each other. During the currencj of the present war those people whe have been most strenuously opposed U militarism in every shape and form havi preserved a dignified neutrality. The*, adopted this course because they die not want to cause any embarrassment whilst the war lasted, believing that tht Empire was engaged in a "supreme ''struggle to= uphold the principles of Democracy. All those brave men who have volunteered for service, and those who have sacrificed their lives on the battlefields of Europe, have done so for the same reason. ; "Now, if this measure is placed upon the Statute Book it means that a breach' of faith will be committed with every' volunteer under the British flag. "This callow Dominion has been used in the past _s a lever for the introduc-! tion of compulsory military training, at system of militarism repugnant to the' Democracy of the Mother Country, and " this National Registration Bill would, not be tolerated by the workers of Eng-j land, therefore why shonld this country, be used as a lever for the introduction] of a system of militarism which aims at] . placing' the whole burden upon the in-j dustrial classes in the community, by making them fight the battles of the' Empire, foot the bill, and' at the same', time rob them of the'freedom which they consider they are fighting and paying to uphold. Organised labour in New Zealand does not wish to cause any dissension, and therefore respectfully submits its ' most emphatic protest U> % the Government before the proposals contained in the Bill are made the law of the land. "We" consider that the enactment of the measure as submitted . by you would be a blunder of the first magnitude.—l am, etc., • •, "HIRAM HUNTER, /'National Secretary. '7th September, 1915." \