THE BLACKBALL STRIKE.

Evening Star, Issue 12926, 14 April 1908, Page 8

THE BLACKBALL STRIKE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—From the letter of “Socialist” in your issue of April 13 it is somewhat difficult to decide whether he intends it for an attack upon the Blackball miners or Mr A. R. Barclay, M.P., or both, but if his power be as feeble as his arguments it is pretty certain that neither of these parties has anything to fear from his hostility. Mr D. K. Pritchard may not be as urbane and gentle as a Wilberforce, but it ill becomes your correspondent to throw stones, as he writes in language that is only jnst in parliamentary bounds, and it is fair to presume that in actual speech he would occasionally trespass beyond these bounds. The whole question hinged upon the unjust dismissal of the seven men, and this is justly considered by Mr Barclay in his letter as a grievance which the other miners conld not in honor overlook. There will always be a difference of opinion as to whether this could have been redressed without having recourse to a strike, though many of ns fail to see how any other course could be effectual. “ Socialist ” does not suggest any, and, indeed, seems to think that the men should have taken it “ lying down,” and if that be his opinion, it is hopeless to try to convince him otherwise. As to referring us to the ‘ Grey River Argus ’ for information, I should like to know what reliance can be placed upon that source, seeing that for the first week or two we were daily regaled with paragraphs about “the strike fizzling out,” “the absence of sympathy, if not bitter hostility, on the part of the unions throughout the Dominion,” etc., and when this had become too monotonous, personal attacks on the Executive and their agents Hickey, Pritchard, and others. Fortunately, no one seems one penny the worse for all the abuse thus freely bestowed, but we are hardly likely to accept as referee any organ that has thus" distinguished itself. We prefer instead to use our own judgment m the matter. Very few people (and the Blackball miners were not and are not among them) desire to see the Arbitration Act abolished, but even the Minister of Labor recognises that it has defects, and accordingly wishes to rectify the same. Furthermore, very few people really bdlieve that if the miners he successful av this strucnle it will prove the death

knell of the Act, any more than the be-' knell of the Act, any more than they bewould be fatal .to the Licensing Act.—l am, etc, Justitia. April 13.