LABOR AND COMPULSION.

Marlborough Express, Volume L, Issue 2, 4 January 1916, Page 7

LABOR AND COMPULSION.

\ U33IOX\S SPIRITED STATEMENT.

REPLY TO THE FEDERATION.

'The follow inpc reply has been sent for the >\:nr Zealand Locomotive Engine-drivers', Firemen, and Cleaners' Afv-fiC'.^nf-'i to ti:o circular of the Federation of L;>.ber inviting delegates -!o tin >; anti-conscription" conference in "Wellington next month. The reply is addre?s?d to Mr H. Hunter, srerotnrv of the Federation : "Dear Sir.—l am directed to j acknowledge receipt of yonr circular | letter of Novomber 30th. 1915, regard- j inp- ronst-iotion, and in reply, I am j directed i<-."' t:\tc that as we expect to i nave deletr,;\i.es from this union in ■Wollinstr 11 :i!sout the time in which you proper; to hold a- conference of al! union>•• to Ci.:-. us;; the (juostfon of oons-riptiou, and the attitude of J^ibor, tl'.o delegates have been injstructod to attcna, but in tlu- event

of the cW<r#M.tes not being, in Welhng- \ ton at tin- >Jate jour meeting is held, } t lie ques+ion of * Rending representa- ! tivt>s will bo further tonsidored; I I h;.vo to not<> that your circular urges ! :vl! unions to p;ss resolutions against conscription, and, therefore, my union I takes it that the Federation of Labor ' is against conscription. My Executive ' j Council, after considering the matter \\ of conscription, begs to differ from r i the attitude taken up by yotir , , Federation, and desires to place their ■ "'! views "before vokv Federation in case \• wo ciuinot ;ehd :i representative to ' ! the conference. "A large number of our fellowj workezs, numbering many thousands, ' have already volunteered, and arc in ■ tho fighting line, and therefore my ' * unioii\onsiders that if the large num. ' ! ber of eligible members at present in ' j New Zealand will not join of their own 1 | accord, then it is considered that they | should be compelled to go. All of our ' J fellow-workers who have enlisted up \\ to the present did so with the under- ! .standing that they would be supi ported by the remaining members ' When ihey the opportunity of orii listing, "it seems quite obvious to 1 this union that there are many mem- ) bres of the community who could go, ' but who refuse to fulfil their obligaI tions to the Empire, and many of i these arc members of well-to-do • families; it appears that compulsion • is the only remedy for these members. ! My union considers that much more 1 could be done by unions in order to | ensure the voluntary system being a ! success, and if it is successful, then • conscription will not be enforced. f Therefore, we should like to know | what efforts are being made by the | Federation of Labor to make the ; voluntary .system a success. If no 1 efforts, have been made to ensure its success; then we cannot see how any ', union can logically oppose, any compulsory system which may be introi duced to/take the place of a system ! that has failed. My union would here i suggest that all unions should coI operate with the Government in their ' present endeavor to make the vohm- ' tary. system a success in their present j scheme. j "My. Executive Council considers j that the war has proceeded now to • such an extent that the question of it ( being a just or an unjust one is past discussing. The question now is: are we going io allow ourselves, to be beaten by the Germans? . ' "My union's answer to this question is that we are not going to allow , the British Empire to be defeated, i which gives such freedom and con- ! ditions of life, excelled by no other | .nation. j ''If we, as workers, do not enjoy i all thfit is ours by right, then the ; fault lies with the1 workers for not exercising the machinery in our power. j :'Therefore, if the voluntary system ; fails, ray union will not raise any objection to a. form of compulsion" for ; those members who will not enlist. ! ■ ."I am, ' ' _ . i "Yours sincerely,' "W. McARLEY, "General Secretary." I>ecomber 28th. 1915. -7 '