Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 1928. BLACKBALL BALLOT

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 August 1928, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 1928. BLACKBALL BALLOT

’J’IIERE will be general regret that the Blackball Coal Company has found it necessary to curtail employment at the mine, and it is to be hoped that this will prove a temporary measure. There should be sympathy with both sides. The losses incurred by the Company have been heavy, and the shareholders could not be expected to let these continue indefinitely. The miners face a serious situation, especially in view of the developments at Roa. Ender the circnm-

stances it is not surprising that divided counsels} are being offered to the men, and a ballot is to be held to-morrow to decide what should be the official action of the Union towards the Company’s offer.

One section favours making the best of a bad position, whilst the other is striving to make matters worse, by advocating a strike. What useful purpose this aggression would serve is difficult to note, and candour compels the suggestion, Unit the strike-seekers are

more anxious about their own personal prestige and influence than they are to .help the miners and their dependents. When conflicting advice is offered, it is wise to take into consideration those offering counsel. In this instance, the Blackball miners have on the one side their own elected Union officials urging them to accept, meanwhile, the one-shift system. Those men, who are Communistic in attitude, shriek strike, and. are apparently, more concerned about fighting the

mine-owners than in feeding the miners’ dependents. Every vote for the Communists is a vote against f lie miners’ wives and children, and all the contrary specious appeals

cannot get away from that cold fact.

•‘Share the work” is a slogan that is being urged for more than it is worth. In normal circumstances, it would have much to recommend it. At present, at Blackball, there is not enough work to go round for all, and the only problem is to decide who shall get what employment is possible. Common humanity, sportsmanship, and every tradition that Coast miners pride, demand that the women and children’s welfare should be first safeguarded, and that is possible only by giving preference of employment to those men whose duty it is to provide for their wives and families. Those opposing this policy’ arc either very foolish, or malicious, and judging from the circulars issued and tactics being used, malice is more ascendant than short-sightedness. What self-re-specting unmarried, man could accept wqrk, knowing that by so doing, he was preventing a husband and father feeding his wife and young family. Any clear reflection on the ballot proposals should cause most of the men to support their Union, and to oppose the Communists.

Supposing a strike policy were favoured, what would happen ? Is it conceivable for a moment, that the mine owners could be compelled to revert to the double shift ? What would be certain to happen, is that within a few weeks, the miners would see the folly of the strike, and then accept, after much loss and suffering, what can now be obtained, without such penalties. Moreover, a strike might compel the Company to let the mine on the tribute system, and that would not be welcomed by the miners. There is no great Union principle at stake, thus no call is made for sacrifice. “To insist on sharing the work irrespective of consequences, ’ ’ means irrespective of consequences to the women and children. Their appeal, even though silent, should be more eloquent than the rant and heroics of those whose aim is to destroy all those, employers and employed, who will not bow down to Moscow idols. To-morrow’s ballot will be followed with close interest by the whole community, and we shall be surprised if the result does not clearly demonstrate that Blackball miners put the welfare of their womenfolk and children before the “commands” of the Communists.