THE LABOR MOVEMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 14784, 27 January 1912, Page 2

THE LABOR MOVEMENT.

[By J.F.A.]

Brief contributions on matter* with reference to the Labor movement are incitii. FEDERATION OF LABOR AS THE "TOP DOG." The chief topic of conversation amongst trades union workers during the past week, especially among those representing skilled trades, has boon the agreement just concluded in the waterside workers' dispute. Comparisons are freely made between the results of the "pence" policy of the unions federated to the Trades and Labor Councils of New Zealand, under the Arbitration Act, and the "striko or threatened strike" polity of the Federation of Labor. The consensus of opinion seems to be that the latter gets all tho beet of the .argument, or as one worker said : "Tho Federation aro top dog now." It is further eaid that some of tho unions of skilled workers have been fighting under tho Arbitration Act for well nigh 15 years, and hardly received an increase in wages, while the waterside, workers, at a single conference, received an increase in the .aggregate of from £90,000 to £130,000 per annum. In addition, they have preference to unionists, which the employers fight to tho death before the Court, and they also retain their right to striko at any convenient time. I6.it any wonder that eo many unions are seeking to free themselves from tlio Arbitration Act? The point, however, that canf.es most comment is that of wages. In e.pito of tho spirit of unionism or socialism or of the preaching of tho brotherhood of man, the average worker of today is only a human, with all tho aspirations, jealousies, and sense of comparison which other humans pceeefs. It is natural, therefore, that while rejoicing with tho unskilled workers at this large increaso, he should reason that if, after serving an apprenticeship of from five to seven vears (besides Ixavrnp in many caws to find tools, at considerable cost), carrying all tho responsibility of a- highly skilled and technical trade, he- is asked to work for a lower wago than that conceded by the employer to unskilled Labor, there must be something rotten in the state of Denmark. Personally, I congratulate the waterside workers, and can well understand the Auckland men giving three cheers for Mr Semplo, who said that, as far as tho waterfront workers of Now Zealand were concerned,

They wore 6oething with discontent, and the, shipowncredid the right thing in the interests of tho public and the men engaged in waterside, work in agreeing to get in open conference, to discuss the points at issue. The conference wns a Jong protracted one, but it resulted in good not only from the men\s point of view, but also from tho standpoint of the general public, as it will ensure, industrial peace on the water front for at leaet two years. I truly hope that his view may be the correct one. But it may bo that the reeult may have an effect on other industries more wide-reaching than is anticipated. ******* THE SEAMEN STONEWALL. The success of the waterside workers made tho shipping conference of greater public interest, it was only to be expected that such men as our Mr Belcher would not be willing to 6tand by and have it said that the waterside workers had pulled ill the chestnuts from the fire. It was no surprise, therefore, to find ihe delegates organise and stand unitedly. Mod they not done- so, they would have been unworthy of the trust placed in them. It js riot necessary to see behind the scones to know that things at times waxed warm. The length of the conference, the fact that on ono occneion at least the conference broke up, and tho knowledge that employers were disappointed with tho result of the Waterside Conference—thc-e factors point to the correctness of the surmise that things were sultry at times. Mr P. U ally deserves great credit for having been able to bring about a, settlement. Tho terms of both three agreements have, beeu fully reported in the columns of the 'Star.' I need simply congratulate the seamen upon having gained " preference to unionists" and an "eight-hour day." What a. change from 1690! A strike could not accomplish the same thing then, and all appeals to the Arbitration Court have failed to do so since; hut to-day we have tho shipowners conceding both points, and more. It is worthy of note, too. that what Judge Sim and his Court refused to do, Mr Justice Higgine (President of the Australian Arbitration Court) has brought about. The new agreement inny be labelled "Made in Australia." On December 20, speaking of the industrial troubles that, wo were likely to be met with in 1912. I said that it mivst not be forgotten that the whole of he transport workers were being slowly but surely organised into ono Federation, and. if need be, would at the word of command be able to paralyse trade. It is satisfactory to know that no such calamity is likely" to overtake New Zealand while these two agreements in favor of the r.eamen and the waterside workers ;ire loyally observed. # Vr # # # ♦ WILL THE ENGLISH MINERS STRIKE? Going from home, while the Labor world is full of trouble, and the cables daily bring us tidings of strikes, threatened strikes, and conferences between employers and their hands, tho centre of interest undoubtedly is in the miners' agitation in Great Britain. As far back ns five days before Christmas the, miners met in conference to decide whether they would declare a national strike in pursuance of their demand for a minimum wage; r.-nd. although it is not. safe to predict the f!i al outcome, everything points to the rank and file being more determined to forc« than ever. Tho Cardiff ' Times' said a f ew weeks ago that the. threatened general strike v:ax a diplomatic, demonstration: and also that large, meetings are. being held in the. various coalfields to demand that the. issue, shall be. jought through to a finish with no thought of compromise. The time is considered very opportune for a big strike.

It is well known that many large contracts Inve boon placed for the delivery of South Wales coals during the coming vear. Tho French State, Hail ways r 'ive ordered 170,030 tons, the Orient, Pi v.n.Rhip Compauv 80,000 tons, the T?oy.'il Mail Steam Packet. Company ] CO. GOO tons, the CTent Rnilw-iy oT Brazil 40.000 tras. In tha first 10 months of the Lift year the conl exports increased by about 1.000.000 tonr-. and there ifi every evidw.ee of a still creator expansion this year. Under these cirCMivsianc.es, it is considered that there never was a juster demand put for.v.u'd than that now urged by tho min°r«:. If their claims are not met it is 'jl.vly

tho country will be plunged in industrial war in March. If tho etriko eventuates it. will mean that nbont 1,000.000 miners will be idle, while 750,000 tons of coal daily will be withdrawn from the market. What, the loss in wages will be it is impossible to estimate, but it, is said th.it the Durham funds alono exceed £400,000, so that tho threatened etriko, if it actually takes place, is likely io bo of considerable duration.

A LOVELY CONDITION OF AFFAIRS. A fortnight ago tho secretary of the Knral Workers' Union in Western Australia said that the time had gone when it was necessary to explain why the wageslaves in the* agricultural industry in Western Australia needed a union, for in the mind of every right-thinking, fair-minded person it was recognised that it was not only in tho interests of the workers themselves, but in the interests of all fair employing farmers as well, that a nnion should exist, in order to protect the workers from the greedy, grasping hands of many nnecrupulous fanners in the State to-day. He could give absolute proof, if it were necessary, where men, after working from 12 to 15 hours per day, were expected to sleep in stables, or «heds adjacent to stables, where pigs and fowls could roam in at their own sweet will, and where men were given day after day and week after week tinned dog to eat, and that whilst fat sh«ep were running in the paddocks. These were no isolated cases, either.

POWER TO WITHHOLD BREAD. Mr Justice Higgins, defending himself recently against adverse criticism, said: "There has been, as is well known, abuse —abuse of myself personally—but not more than one imist expect, I suppose, who has to handle interests so widespread and so vital, who has to interfere with profits, and to pronounce on matters which form the chief staple of newspaper controversy. There has been alsowhat is not known —a number of insulting letters from writers who withhold their real names, bet whose communications I gladly acknowledge in i the only way in my power, and put away as contributions from unknown donors to a museum of curiosities. But it is gratifying, as well as amusing, to find that the abuse has only come from opposite extremes—from a social revolutionary body which is utterly opposed to arbitration of any sort, and from interested employers or "their partisans. There have been, indeed, a few comments which cannot bo regarded as abuse. For instance, in one dailv journal of great circulation I find mv-self accused of borrowing from Karl Marx a proposition which I thought contained a commonplace truism. I had said in the engine-drivers' case that the employers' strategic position (apart, of course., from regulation by law or from pressure, of unions I is much stronger than the employees'—that the two partisans do not stand on the same bargaining level. I said: 'The power of the employer to withhold bread is a much more effective weapon than tho power of the employee to refuse to labor.' This statement was the result, of observation and reasoning with certain arguments of an employer in the case then in hand. I do not commit myself to anv controversial position taken up by theorists, but try to give the results of my examination of social and industrial facts in the study of live industries and live interests and* tho necessities of living men, and after keen debate. But when I saw this statement impugned I looked up various writers, and 1 have found that the same idea is propounded by the most orthodox economists and publicists, in- , cluo.uk; Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, Professor Thorold Rogers, Professor Marski), I'roiczFor Adams, Professor Ryan, and, last August, by ex-President Roosevelt ; and if it ho 'true that Karl Marx savs the same thing, then the concurrence of'doctors of .such different schools makes the proposition almost unquestionable. Having heard the worst, I suppose, that, can be said against the proposition, I mean to act on it now with more confidence than heretofore." ******* WHAT STRIKES MEAN - . Bear lane, one of tho principal thoroughfares of the citv of Leeds, was at its busiest on Saturday afternoon (November 111, when there passed into it a pitiful procefrion. A band of musicians led tho way, playing a martial air, and after thorn marched; several hundred little children, none of them apparently more than 9 or 10 vears of age. In the rear were a couplo of vans filled with those who were too young to walk—mere babies, who gast-d* upon tho world outside with calm indifference—and a third vehicle contained loaves of bread and other charitable contributions in kind. Banners carried by some of tho children proclaimed that they were the. eons and daughters of tho miners of the Waterloo colliery, where there liad been a dispute for several months part, and begged the public "not to let the JiLle tfnee starve." On all sides the pecplo hastened to press their coppers into the collecting boxes. The scene will become common enough in tlwse northern towns during tlio coming winter if unhappily the threatened general strike of minere be not averted.—-'Times.' ******* WHAT WE HAVE YET TO LEARN. One of the members of the English Labor party has made a confession which has yet to be taken to heart in this Dominion. Mr J.- R Clynes, M.P., says truly : " Those of us who are connected with the Labor party find that- most of onr supporters who complain of our efforts not being militant or revolutionary enough are young men and youths who revel in a state of irresponsibility, and who are unconscious of either the nature or the dilficulties of the courses they snggust. The impatience they display is, no doubt, the expression of their earnestness and of their sincere desire- for results which they concave to be good for the nation ax large. Candidates of other parties are seldom faced with any such trouble from their supporters. render to them enthusiastic service without finding fault or asking questions, whilst the Labor party find that bi the Tanks of Labor there is a" large percent ago nf tot;iily inexperi- i cur-ed persons willing to act as political j generals and to undertake the directorship | of any parliamentary action in which they I are interested." JHUEF NOTES. The four unions of railway employees have-prepared a scheme of amalgamation in Great Britain. If it be adopted, the new organisation—which will then include drivers"' firemen, signalmen, pointsmen, i and cleaners, in addition '-a minor grades j —will have a membership of 180,030. ! * u a ! The Trades and Industries Committee of the Dunedin Expansion League have elected Mr J. F. Arnold chairman, also a member of the Executive Committee. Mr Arnold represent:; the Otago Trades and I Labor Council on the League. * # * The ballot taken by the Otsgo Coal Miners' Union for the election of the union executive for -the year is just to hand, and vaulted in the re-election of the old executive—Messrs John Heard, Wm. F. Crowe, Win. Hollows, aaid Fred Hcbbard—by v.-ry large majorities. The voting was fairly even in Kaitangafa, but the branches w.»nt solid for th-s "' Federation ticket,"' and won right out. The secretary's salary was fixed at £3 10s per week, and the. treasurer's at £l3 per annum. Messrs .fas. Robertson and John Median acted a..s scrutineers, and carried out the work expeditiously. * * * In Belgium 25,000 miners are on strike against fortnightly instead of weekly payment of wages. * * * The fdthgow Strike Committee are ask- j ing the. Federal Government to suspend j the bonus on pig-iron - until it is produced I bv registered unionists. j *- * ! Last, year just on 1,000 new members | joined the Vidorian Bootmakers' Federa- j lion. .Most of them were females. i v * it j Some of the unions in Sydney are get- J ling dissatisfied in cr nseqn 'ricv of 'he ' delay in eonneition with wages boards' awards, and threaten to strike. * * «■ During last year strikes by 750,'000 workcrs took place in the United Kingdom. The strikes represented a loss of 10,000,000 working daws. the average number lost during the last 10 years was 4,500,000. * * * The Labor parly in South Africa achieved a great triumph in the recent municipal elections in the Transvaal. At Pretoria they -returned their entire "ticket" of fouc, an 1 at Johannesburg 11 out of their ]6 candidates were returned. Labor now dominates the Johannesburg City Council. It should be mentioned (hat Proportional Representation has proved a signal .success in municipal elections in South Africa. Will the leaders of the. local Labor party bear the fact in mind ? * * a Mr John Ward, M.P., visiting Preston after an absence- of over 20 years, told a public meeting in that town that when he was last there he was working as a laborer in the docks; he afterwards tramped to Manchester, and helped to make the Manchester Ship Canal. Under the Insurance Bill approxinja-t-c'y (says ths 'Hospital') 2,500,000 Lor«doners will be. insured, and they will require for their sole use and treatment 5,000 hospital beds. Search where you •will it is impossible to find a better or more reliable medicine for stomach, liver, or bowel disorders than Chamber bin's Tablets.— UuivLJ