THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 20372, 2 January 1930, Page 15

THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

[Bj J.S.S.]

Bri»f c«atribution» an m»tter» with r«f«r»nc« •• tk> Labctir Movement era invited. A REVIEW. The achievement of greater political power was an outstanding feature of the activities of the Labour movement during the year 1929. Labour to day governs in both Great Britain and Australia. The rise of the British Labour Party by a series of swift and successful stages until it finally assumed power was in particular a most striding success. Pity that Keir Hardie, standing alono in the House of Commons as the party’s sole representative twenty yeais ago could not have foreseen the presentday popularity of British Labour! What spiritual aid it might have given him! Those were dark and troublous times for (labour. But Keir Hardie was able to do monumental work in spite ol the comparatively insignificant numbers adhering to his banner, and it says a great deal for the pioneering days that so many who did not by birth belong 1,0 the labouring people were eventually attracted to Labour. They learned to realise the urgent need of political representation as a means of obtaining social reforms. To-day wo find the party includes persons from every rank and grade of society. But the course of success has not been entirely unchequered. Some of its leaders, who share so hignly public appreciation and gratitude towere as recently as the war period subjected to persecution and calumny by people who failed to grasp the essential soundness of Labour’s methods and ideals in the art of government, both domestic and foreign Mr Ramsay MacDonald and his colleagues certainly suffered for their international spirit in the past, but their ultimate success has well merited the sacrifice. Pacifism has become a deeply-rooted ideal, and xnoro and more the insensate folly of all wars is being recognised. Should there bo a satisfactory end to the forthcoming Naval Disarmament Conference, to be held in London this month, British Labour will have every reason for selfcongratulation on the outcome of its policy 7 . ’ There are many remarkably able men in the Home party, and tins is a factor which gives confidence <o Labour in other parts of the world. Labour did not always havo the type of men who possessed the necessary at tributes to govern in a manner worthy of its fundamental ideal of improving the lot of the working masses. It is recognised that on the achievements ot the British Labour Government rest largely 7 not only the 'welfare of a great nation, but the well-cherished hopes of official political Labour in many other parts ot the world. British Labour has been a source of inspiration in the past, and its prospect, of high achievement is taken as a beacon of guidance for the future. Excessive importance has been attached by interested opposing forces to tho doings of the section of malcontents within the party itself. In many parties there are recalcitrant forces, and there is evidence to prove that the complaints of the extremist group are not likely to create an actual split in the party. Possibly the extremists mav servo as a spur to quicker amelioration of many social ilia. In Australia Labour lias one of its strongest fortresses There have been Labour Governments at various periods in both State and Commonwealth spheres. Not all have been successful, but generally speaking a maximum of good has been achieved in legislation which had as its aim the welfare of the people. A great gain was won by the Australian Labour Party in the recent Federal elections, which was also a win for the efforts of industrial unions to maintain their standards' ot living. In both Greatfßritain and Australia a large factor in the success of political Labour was the power exerted by the trade unions. It would seem almost as if without the backing of properly financed and hard-working organised groups of unions Labour could never hope to overcome the forces of its opponents. Unionism in Great Britain and Australia has in all c|ections been- tho central driving force towards (political success. Although it is a difficult matter to gauge tho exact forces and prospects of Labour in other countries there is evidence of further progress in countries possessing strong Socialist movements notably Germany, Franco, Denmark, and Austria. Each week reports of events and happenings are forwarded per medium of ‘ Press Reports ’ (p budget of information sent out by the Second International, whose headquarters' are at Amsterdam) is received by the Dunedin Labour Office. ‘ Press Reports ’ serves as an accurate guide to occurrences of significance in the official Labour world. Most of the reports strike an optimistic note for the year 1929. There appears, however, to bo an intensification of the opposition and bitterness which mark the attitude to each other of tho rival Internationals —Second and Third, the latter being the Moscow Communist controlled body. In New Zealand progress has taken place mainly in the line of the extended activities of tho New Zealand Workers’ Union, and tho Alliance of Labour in tho industrial sphere. r lhe Workers’ Union, by the appointment of organisers, added many hundreds of members to its ranks, as well as giving publicity to tho conditions which existed on many public construction works. The Alliance of Labour was successful in getting Otago to fall in with other centres in tho matter ot affiliation. A present aim of the Alliance is to consolidate Labour’s forces by an amalgamation of all unions into a corporate bead, each union, however, to preserve its local identity and power in matters peculiarly its own. _ The Alliance has aone notable work in giving more effective expression to many unions’ grievances. _ Each affiliated body has representation on the Alliance, directly through a special rcpiesentative in tho case of the very large unions, such as the Watorsiders’ and Seamen. Tho small, craft unions combined in one body, the miscellaneous department, in order to give them clfectivc voting strength in the Alliance’s deliberations, Otago is represented by its Labour Council, which is now incorporated as the local branch of the Alliance of Labour. In the political sphere Labour counts ns a very able and live force, its representation in the House now being twenty members. An indication of the strength of Labour’s deeds may be seen in its thorough hammering of the unemployment question, which will con tinue to be its special care until there is some actual lessening of the present bad state of affairs. In its attitude to the UniVd Party the Labour Party has been consistent in its support of any beneficent legislation brought forward.