Greymouth Evening Star. SATURDAY, MAY 21, 1949. Labour “Battle"

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 May 1949, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. SATURDAY, MAY 21, 1949. Labour “Battle"

’THE Federation of Labour “battle” has ■*“ ended with honours to the “dissidents,” as they'are'politely called. That much is clear from the reports on the conference. After days of heated, bitter,argument—unprecedented in its intensity and duration —these so-called “dissidents,” by adroit tactical manoeuvring, succeeded in gaining from the federation forthright condemnation of the so-called ‘ ‘ scab 7 7 union of Auckland carpenters, thus posing an awkward problem for the Government, whose Minister of Labour, Mr McLagan, had granted his approval to the registration of the so-called “scab” union. The fact that the resolution of condemnation ,was later watered down to one of nonapproval has not altered the position. For all practical purposes, the position is, in army terms, “as you were.” The original “go-slow” at Auckland involved 1500 carpenters. One thousand of them, dissatisfied with their leadership, decided to form another union. If two-thirds of ’the membership decides to form a separate organisation, then surely it is stretching i'the imagination too far to assert that it merits the term “scab.” The Labour Federation’s decision to approve the “bona fide” union means that ’the federation supports a union responsible for instituting the “go-slow” strike. It is worth noting that some of the federation leaders, as well as Government leaders had earlier denounced this strike as Communist inspired. The effect of the federation’s decision, therefore, is that it has given approval to a union which staged a “Communist-inspired” strike. It is worth noting also that the “scab” union, now denounced, earlier sought to debar Communists, not from membership, but from holding official positions. This decision was reversed following the receipt of “advice,” which was, in the circumstances, tantamount to a “direction,” for which the Minister of Labour, Mr McLagan, and through him the Government, must take the responsibility. Therefore, with Ministerial approval and because of the decision of the Federation of Labour, persons who are capable of staging a “Communist-inspired’ 7 strike are to be enabled to reassume the leadership from which it was sought to debar them. All this, of course, makes a mockery of the hard and heated words hurled at the Communists. As has been remarked before, the real struggle is the struggle for power in the Labour-Socialist movement

—between those who want Socialism now and those who counsel moderation until such time as the people can be gulled into accepting it in further doses. The socalled “dissidents” have undoubtedly won a tactical victory—a victory at the expense of Government supporters, indeed of Government leaders themselves. More and more these leaders are becoming mere pawns in the game of manoeuvring for tactical position. Only the gullible would say that, as a result of recent events, the Communist position, has been weakened. Only such a person would place his trust in the Government —a Government, that has long since demonstrated its complete inability to halt a serious drift. There is surely some rotting ingredient in Labour- ‘ Socialist political affairs when the Prime 'Minister of this country deems it necessary, in a desperate endeavour to stem the tide, so to belittle his office as to berate, plead, and cajole with, in sorry sequence, a group of powerful dissidents who show no respect either for himself, his office, or his Government. Would he, in present circumstances, dare to rid himself of the Communist who is reported to be employed 'on the staff of his department? . Both he and Mr McLagan should be reminded that mere words are far from sufficient. Actions count.