THE H.B. TRIBUNE. SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 1912. THE EVOLUTION OF THE WORKER.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 38, 27 January 1912, Page 4

THE H.B. TRIBUNE. SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 1912. THE EVOLUTION OF THE WORKER.

The outlook in the industrial life at Home at the present time is very discouraging, and the discontent has every appearance of increasing and spreading. Even the most optimistic commercial men realise this and it is feared that if the unrest is aggravated by further demands from the unions, financiers will lose confidence and transfer their investments abroad. When this does occur Great Britain must surely suffer a period of trade depression and unemployment, and, unfortunately, we in New Zealand will feel the illeffects. The great overshadowing cloud at this moment is the threatened coal miners strike which is promised for next month. 'Recent cables disclose that hopes of friendly settlement are very remote, for they tell us that all the large manufacturing firms are laying in large supplies of coal, that the Admiralty is making heavy purchases, and that the Welsh coal market is already swept bare. All who are interested in inanfacturing concerns realise that coal consumption is enormously heavy, and that the period for- which supplies can be stored is uselessly short. They all know that a shortage of fuel will disorganise business, drive orders to foreign competitors, and seriously affect all classes of the community. The point at variance Ayveis l <.wm rs and minors is. we understand, the demand of the latter for a minimum wage. As regards the justice of the claim we are not sufficiently acquainted with the conditions to give an opinion of much value, but the appearances are that mine owners are right in refusing to pay a fixed minimum wage irrespective of the value of the work done. But be that as it may, the fact remains that unless a settlement is speedily arrived at the whole industrial machinery of the country will be brought to a standstill and hundreds of thousands of workers in every branch of work will be thrown out of employment. Serious as the position is—great as the suffering will be—it is useless wasting mini regrets ami expending h“ rd recrimination on those who are the y'in-'v cattso of the trouble. 1 iq'!'< -tv.ais in imh:stri-il life evidently hate a useful purpose to wrve. They arc as necessary to evolution of industrial conditions as the rcvidmion now shaking China is nee:-sary to the development of the I - n world. These things come m trie nature of things to teach their lessons ami at t their part in the evolution of mankind, ami in that way in the <-vohiiton of all classes of society. This fact is emphasised in a short pamphlet which lies before us as we write, entitled ‘ Mtn ami lie State." The obje< t of the riti. r i- tv warn people against

those so-called ''practical politicians" who evince their jiract:ca:m ss in a total diregard for principles. He contends that when the State attempts to supersede nature in the organisation of society disastrous consequences must ensue. The argument is on these lines : “Throughout the past evolution of societies now existing on earth one factor stands out as of paraniotni. importance. That factor is the desire of each individual in the community to benefit himself to the best of his powers. Society has progressed not through its own conscious desire to progress ; but the progression has been wholly consequent on that of the individuals contained in it, arising from the desire of eml’ cue for an amelioration of his own particular condition. The evolution of society has been incidental ; it has never been anyone’s direct aim, but it has arisen as an unforsecn consequence of the efforts of individuals for their own advancement.” The individual coal miner, the individual worker in every industry, notwithstanding that he uses the strength of united organisations to gain his own ends, is venting his desire to benefit himelf to the best of his powers. He is but exercising that boasted liberty every Britisher enjoys, and if he can “make good,” as the Americans say, so much the better it will be for his future welfare. He will have worked as a unit in an organisation for the evolution of his particular section of society and will have fulfilled his duty towards his brother man. But to

“make good” the worker must not violate any principles. He must not i xeiei.se liberty of action and deny that same liberty to others. He must have justice in his demands ami win his benefits in fair fight. He mint remember that the liberty of the individual is the leading principle of social philosophy and that to disregard that principle is to court disaster. An individual may cd’ iiis own five will join a union and obey its dictates, but, directly he compels his fellow to join he disregards a leading principle, accepts another, and by Ids own action admits that it is right for one man to tyrannise over anctlier. Aa matter of fact compulsory unionism is an outrage on society and should not be legalised b.v any government. A parliament which sanctions it legislates for one class at the expense of many, and fails in its chief function, which is to see that every citizen has entire freedom of action and full opportunity for development. It is. therefore, the duty of the State to, deal with’every citizen who endeavours to curtail the liberty of another. So in this labour unrest which is disturbing the social fabric not only at, Home, but also in the Dominion, all will be well so long as the loading principle we have referred to is not disregarded. The unionist has a perfect right to voluntarily strike for increased pay or fewer hours of labour; the employer has the right to decide whether he should grant concessions ami pass their cost on to the consumer. or close his works down for a time or for ever. It is simplv a matter of expediency in both cims; each takes the risk and responsibility for their respective line of action. If an illustration is neecs-

rare-to cm- p.;*rtniriexit that State iv terference in industrial evolution is futile we point to the New Zealand Arhitratici) Act, which but this week was trod under foot by the Ma ‘ --ersidn Workers and Seamen’s Union. In history it will be recorded as a mistake, and held up as an illuminating example of the futility of attempting to permanently settle industrial disputes by Act of Parliament.