"GO SLOW" & STAND STILL

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 16, 19 January 1921, Page 6

"GO SLOW" & STAND STILL

THE DANGER UNEMPLOYMENT

ADVICE TO GO -STEADY,

(Contributed by the New Zealand .Wei-

fare League.)

If some of the heady Socialist advocates who are forever whining about the hard conditions of the workers in this Dominion had been amongst the unemployed that literally swarmed over this country in 1895 they would surely 'realise that, as compared with that period of depression, the workers of to-day, even with the high prices ruling, are in clover compared % with those of that earlier period in the Dominion's history. We have just a few too many floating about now who, having come here comparatively a, short time ago, know all about it. Because these people do not find New Zealand their ideal of Heaven, we hear them running down the country whenever they can get, or make, a chance. The naiive. colonial gets ' tired of hearing these great individuals air their superior wisdom, and belittle his own homeland. We recognise that ■ many workers', families ■ have a hard struggle ,now, but talcing the general mass of workers in this Dominion, it is positively a fact that their conditions are very gnuch better than the conditions of the workers were for several years after the great Maritime Strike of 1890. There are fresh arrivals in the Dominion, who manifest sound judgment, and who buckle to and make good settlers and colonists in the Dominion. These we have all respect for. The people who know little of our early struggles, who grumble on every possible occasion, and who are slow to acquire ■the true colonial's aptitude for fighting trouble with a smile of quiet confidence, are those who are proving a stumbling blook to\ the progress of Australia, and New Zealand. The worst of such malcontents are those who have drifted into New Zealand from other lands chockfull of half-digested Marxian Socialistic) theories, and a. strong tendency to hato everybody who posseses a- little capital. The Sydney Bulletin, which is Australian to the core, has been pointing out thafc it is from these imported specimens ox inherent discontent that most of Australia's industrial madness emanates.We ha.ye witnessed the same manifestations here, and agree that the element which is never tired of imposing their old world grievances, discontents, hatreds, and,stupidities upon the peoplo of Australasia are n veritable curse. \ AUSTRALIA'S.. BURDEN. In a spirit of colonial mateship" w» express our sympathy with the genuine) Australians who are> being, rur. into the sore distress of widespread disftcation of industry, unemployment, and consequent mass suffering by the mad stampedes of. a. lot of irresponsible extremists. We read of 60,000 unemployed in Melbourne or Sydney, of the hold-up in Western Australia, and ask : where away next. ? There is no ' doubt thafc our sister Commonwealth is undergoing a severe- strain. It looks a& if demand followed demand, wild eemi-Bolshevisb calls one after another, until : those in charge of important industries were forced to lay up ships, works and plant, with the result of thousands going idle. THE GENESIS OF UNEMPLOY-

MENT.

It is a known fact that, periods of depression and stoppages of industry arise very often-, from the breaking down of business confidence. There is a disposition shown by Labour extremists to pile demand on demand as if industry could give out forever without breaking down. It is either that or they think the employers will step out and they can taka over the works under some Soviet system not- yet evolved. ,

Thought should be given to the fact 'thafc business confidence may be broken and unemployment arise like one of pur southerly busters before ?jiy change is made in ownership,, management,. or working conditions. We have to remember just now that money for many purposes is not so easily procured as it. was some time ago. There is need and very great need for practice of going steady all round so as to avoid any breafts in industry, which may cause stagnation and result in stoppages and widespread unemployment. -

A PLAIN WARNING,

We are not pessimistic. "" Given a fair chance, this Dominion can ride through stormy waters. The existing conditions, however, stand as a plain warning, particularly to Labour men who have a sincere regard for the workers in tho mass. None of us want to see unemployment . here that is in evidence in Australia. To avoid this there must be a return to greater sanity. "Go slow," which some Labour men have played with, may result in the dead s,top, and that will entail out of work,' suffering, and want, and, as always, special suffering by the women and children Any trades union officer, who can think lightly of a period of- unemploymentl, with all it entails, should be kicked out of office by his fellows. The question we. are seeking to have well considered is 1 whether it is not better for the workers to make moderate steady'progress than to rush into excessive claims of all kinds, which may simply result in complete stoppage of some of the industries they rely upon. The Socialist advocate-. is- everywhere ■teaching the workers that the less work they do the more there-will be to go round. This is false teaching, because if the cost is made excessive the jobs will just be stopped, and then there is none to go round. Our colonial workers can work well and- happily when left alone. The time calls, for regular, steady going and avoidance of the wild cat industrialism which would result in widespread unemployment and the sending forth of decent tradesmen to travel the roads with their "bluey up." There is a danger of this, and we think it right to warn.the rank and,file of its possible nearness. We do not want to see it in New Zealand, and therefore we- present something to think of. It is easy io flatter and haTd often to present* the plain truth, but the latter is the most friendly after all.