UNIONISM OR ANARCHISMWHICH?

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1179, 29 November 1924, Page 11

UNIONISM OR ANARCHISM—WHICH?

THE RIGHTS OF THE PUBLIC. (Contributed by N.Z. Welfare League) What is now taking place in connection with the shipping industry ill Australia, where the methods of irritation strikes are being applied to the serious injury of the trade of the country, should pro've a. lesson not merely to tho people of the great Commonwealth hut to our own people as well. Tho direct action policy is being put in force in ways which make. thinking people ask “is this trade unionism or is it anarchism?” Here is a country where political labour ostensibly stands for arbitration, hut a large class of industrial labourites (who are in the political labour parties) by their actions insist on war rather than, peace. Socialist labourites and others point, to Australia and declare that it furnishes proof that arbitration does not ensure industrial peace. Vet wo find that many of these people who dispute the value of arbitration in the industrial field want their country to rely solely on arbitration for tho settlement of all differences between nations. “No more war” as an ideal we subscribe to as in every way desirable, hut we wish to see it applied to tho social and industrial affairs of our country as well as in the relations of nations. We have doubted, and still doubt, the sincerity of Socialist advocates of “no more war.” They pose too much as if they help a monopoly of peaceful intentions. At the same time these people substitute militancy against the public interest for their professed pacifism when it conies to the matter of dealing with industrial issues.

The attitude ol’ class antagonism is war and not peace. The standing of “our way or industrial chaos” in warfare beyond all question. We shall be told that it is unionism which is at stake in Australia. What kind of unionism is it? Is it a free and voluntary unionism or that which is tyrannic, dictatorial and has not consideration for the rights of others. We have the news that ships are declared “black” and some unionists forced against their wills to obey the behests of the would-be all-powerful federation. In this struggle the irritation strike authorities show no consideration for the returned soldiers and sailors who fought for their country and incidentally saved these very strikers. Surely these “returned men” have a right to form a union of their own when they so desire. They have done so and have worked along peaceful lines. We liavo never heard of them making attack on any other union. If workmen in Sydney choose to go to work through a labour bureau, that is jointly controlled by employers and employed, in a free country they should ho allowed to do so.

It is a unionism of dictatorship which is seeking to deny tho rights of others to choose their own methods in a peaceful way. When it comes to consideration of the public tho repeated, irritating and unreasonable strikes partake of the character of anarchy. In practice the strikers virtually say “we care nothing for tho public, the loss of capital, the forcing up of costs and prices and the individual suffering of workers’ families.” That is a selfish attitude which may justifiably he described as “black.”

In England tiu-i Commonwealth of Australia lias been referred to as tho country “where Labour rules.” It certainly has had more Labour Party Governments than other parts of the Empire. What becomes of the plea put forward by the Socialists in England and elsewhere that the way to bring industrial peace is to place “Labour” in power. The catchy appeal will not stand examination.

It is true to-day as it never was before that what is commonly called “Labour” is not Labour proper at all. It is a school of political Socialists using the masses as instruments to force their will on the nation. The rights of the public do not come in with those who are thus obsessed with their class and party idea. Their movement becomes to them everything there is. With rational trado unionism there is ground for reasoning and sympathy, hut with the false unionism that knows nothing but its own selfish interest, or the unionism of. the I.WAV. school which leads towards sabotage and violence, all society can do is to defend itself.