THE N.S. WALES STRIKE

Evening Star, Issue 14225, 26 November 1909, Page 6

THE N.S. WALES STRIKE

ME. BOWLING’S SCHEME. BLOCKED. BY THE RAILWAY COMMISSIONERS. WAITING FOR THE NEXT MOVE. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright, SYDNEY, November 25. The Railway Commissioners have issued instructions at Newcastle that until further notice no coal is to bo hauled except for railway purposes. This will operate against Mr Bowling’s scheme for working mines. ■ln the Assembly, in reply to a question, Mr Leo (the Acting ’Premier) said that he wished it to be clearly understood that the Government were not dictating in trying to bring the parties together. He had asked the representatives of both sides to meet him at an early date. He did not regard the difficulties between the coal owners and the men as insuperable. DOOMED TO FAILURE. INDIGNANT STRIKE LEADERS. RAILWAY MEN MAY STRIKE. POSITION WORSE THAN EVER. SYDNEY, November 26. (Received November 26, at 9.45 a-.m.) Mr Lee asks both sides to meet him on Saturday. It is considered very unlikely that the meeting will have any result. The proprietors show no intention of departing from the position they have taken T. The strike leaders are indignant at the action of »,ho Railway Commissioners in regard to the haulage of coal. Mr Hughes claims that it amounts to taking sides against, the men, and has made harder the task of those who want peace, not war. It is rumored that the Strike Congress is considering the question of calling out the railway men. The position now is considered to be more serious than at any previous time. The Gas Company have only . three weeks’ supply of coal and water, and the Sewerage Board seven weeks’ supply. Preparations are being made to materially curtail the country railway service. The steamer Kaitangata’s crew will' be paid off to-morrow, and the boat laid up. The Strike Committee report that funds are coming in well.

Under dale November 19 our Sydney correspondent writes : As was expected, the supersession of Mr Bowling by Mr W. M. Hughes brought about a speedy change in the tactics of the strikers. Mr Hughes, .whatever we may think of his politics, is too good a strategist to ignore the fact that the threat of a strike is a more potent weapon than the strike itself. Ethically, it may be as indefensible as the sudden stoppage. But at least it gives room for the play of calculation and reflection, of hope and fear. It exerts thus a constant pressure on both sides, and is admirably adapted, moreover, to enlist the aid of those who care little for ethics or principles of good government, but who want to see the strike ended by hook or by crook. The postponement of the blow also gives time to think, whereas after it has once fallen passion is terribly apt to bear rule on both sides. Consequently, wc have not been hearing of other unions coming out, as the coal miners did. But we are told they will certainly come out unless ! This is Australian civilisation in the twentieth century!

It must not be forgotten that the men have grievances, and that the employers are not free from blame. But no grievance against employers justifies men in striking a blow against the general public, or, in other words, against their country. It is as though a lad, smarting under unjust treatment at school, should rush home and set fire to his father’s house, with the topsy-turvy idea of compelling his parent to take summary vengeance on the pedagogue! We all have grievances, and if we chose wo could all lash ourselves into fury because of them. If. as the miners are, we were perpetually beset by astute and ambitious men. whose interests are concerned in stimulating to the utmost our discontent and resentment, we should be very liable to act in a similarly desperate manner. But that does not prove that such action can safely be tolerated, or that it is compatible with even the most rudimentary elements of social order and general prosperity. The illness'of the Premier (Mr Wade) has prevented him from taking so active a part in the restoration of peace as he would have liked. When peace is restored the imperative necessity of preventing a recurrence of such outbreaks will make itself felt. Our prosperity and civilisation are not worth a week's purchase if at any moment a handful of wrong-headed men can paralyse oar most vital and important industries, and bring the gaunt spectre of want into thousands of innocent homes.