THE WORKERS' PARADISE

Evening Star, Issue 14574, 24 May 1911, Page 3

THE WORKERS' PARADISE

AS SEEN FROM AFAR. Under the caption of ‘ Defying the \ erotics,’ the Hobart, ‘ Mercury ’ writes editorially of tie so-called Socialistic legislation in New Zealand, and from amidst the charming peace that encompasses Hobart sees that here, as elsewhere, all that glitters is not gold. We make the following excerpts;— —A Rival of that Heathen Chinee.— That Heathen Cliineo is generally supposed to be peculiar for ways that are dark and tricks that are wain, but he promises to be outdone by the modern trade unionist, who combines what he calls Socialism with his Unionism. The two things are, of course, opposed to each other, just as arc Co-operation and Socialism, but they are mixed up in such a way as nobody knows where to have either of them or their professors. Examples arc, as roost persons who arc able to observe know, almost innumerable and daily, but we find that the cleverest specimens are to be found iu New Zealand, where we are asked to believe that a sort of new dispensation is going on. and where there is legislation which offers an example to the world. N'ow, there can be no doubt that there has been a great deal of what is called Socialistic legislation in the Dominion, and we notice this is quoted by very innocent politicians at Home as if it was a proof that some great, new, and beneficial work was being done. What the Home politicians, who are very credulous and usually ill-informed about the colonies, fail to comprehend is that it is easy to legislate, but that tho real question is whether the legislation answers the purpose for which it is intended, and whether it really produces the results which we are assured that it will bring about.

—Arc New Zealanders Happier Than Others’-• We are not aware that the general public in New Zealand, which has many special advantages of its own, are mure content ind happy than in other places in Australia, bui we do know that constant changes are proposed, and that proposals are made which are undeniable evidence that the trade unionists, not to cite others, are by no means content with tilings as they find them, which are, for the most part, what they themselves have proposed. We shall be answered, no doubt, that there is nothing at all surprising in this, because trade unionists of the colonial type are never satisfied, and they no sooner get one thing than they want another, and are ever ready to reject or ignore their own special remedies and regulations. This is. as we know, quite true, hut it should surely serve as a lesson to commentators at Home, so that they may understand ■that it is not legislation merely which is the point to regard, but what is the etfect of legislation. Thousands of well-meant laws have been made at various times, the effects of which have been the very opposite of what was meant, while many have been the mock and not the- mark of the people. Therefore, when we are told, as we are at times by the simple ones, that the Dominion is in advance of other places in lawmaking, we have to inquire what have the laws done, and whether there is the least prospect of finality. For a constant tinkering of the laws in relation to industry is a sure sign of failure, and that the end which we seek is not being sought in the right way. Methods that succeed show previous thoughts that were correct, but methods that fail show previous thoughts that were false.

—Examples of Discontentment.—

The examples of this are so numerous that wo may adduce them by the dozen, but it will suffice to point out one or two. which, however, are by no means peculiar to New Zealand, though more striking there than in some other places. For instance, at the hist annual meeting of the Trades and Labor Council, which is supposed to indicate the general policy, there were some very fine things agreed to. which serve to prove that there is a condition of profound discontent, in spite of the so-called Socialistic legislation of which we have heard so much. The meeting not only wanted the general ownership of all the means of production, in order to make everybody happy at once, but the reduction of hours of work until everybody is employed. For, it appears, according to this Council, that there are many unemployed in Now Zealand, in 'spite of the so-called Socialistic legislation, and, moreover, that there is need for more of the same kind. One of the most striking of the resolutions embodied an old grievance—namely, that the workers are not satisfied with the doings of Mr Justice Sim, who is Judge of the Arbitration Court. It appears that he does not decide as the workers wish, and this is, of course, quite intolerable, so they propose to address the Parliament to remove him. Wo learn that the Judge has conceded as much to the workers as can he conceded without destroying the industries concerned, but that is not enough, for they want their way, no matter what may happen. Then lie has had the unfairness to decide that if the workers strike, after an award of the Court, their employers shall not bo bound by the award, and this is regarded as quite outrageous. The workers, of course, are not to be bound, for are they not free and independent? But a mere employer, who finds the brains and the money, can have Bo righto. This, we suppose, we must hold up as a brilliant example of the vaunted legislation which we hear about, and of the sort of idea of justice and practical action held by the.-e workers who have _ undertaken to reform the world. And it may be taken as a very good guide to what would happen if thev could'onlv pt their_ way. Amongst other things, they desire the general ownership and public distribution of all property, but thev do_not tell us how or by whom it is to do distributed. This they seem to regard as a sort of automatic performance, which takes place without any trouble or thought, but wo may seo from what has already happened the sort of chaos that would result. I or. if these workers are not satisfied because they cannot "-et a court to decided in their favor, °v. hat might wo expect if there were judges or authorities of any kind distributing property? Chaos certainly would come •again. Evidently these wiseacres think that they are not bound by anything that does not suit them, so that there would be a pretty little scramble when a division was being made. The extraordinarv pint of this business is the utter absence'of all moral sense which seems to he common to this class when assembled in a body. As individuals, wo suppose, they arc as” moral as other people, but when they come together they seem to lose all perception of the fitness of things, and of the forces by which society is held together. Yet they ought to know that the world cannot he governed on dishonest or immoral conditions, but will fall into disorder and ultimately ruin to all alike.