BETRAYED BY LEADERS.

Northern Advocate, 6 June 1912, Page 4

BETRAYED BY LEADERS.

ANENT the Waihi strike and the Federation of Labor's connection therewith, scathing comment is employed editorially in the "New Zealand Times," which says that the Federation has been beaten all along the line. They have stopped an unessential service at Waihi, and they are unable to help the unfortunate miners whom their tactics have "victimised." They have "torn up an agreement and tossed it to hell" on a pretext, and they are now going round with the hat asking the members of affiliated unions to pay 10 per cent, out of their hard earnings to help to fight a battle which has already been lest by the gross incompetency of the Federation generals. The executiveis retiring upon Wellington to growl malevolently behind closed doors on an allowance of 22s 6d per man per day, but it is now certain that nothing will come of all their threats and blueterings. They have discredited themselves, and they have disclosed to their supporters that their policy of making war upon society by "stopping the wheels of industry" is just a sham aud a vain pretence. If the Wellington and Auckland wharf laborers and the southern mine organisations agree to take 10 per cent, of their earnings to keep Messrs Semple, Webb, Parry and Co. employed in the hot-air industry for a longer period we shall be very much surprised. Bounce, bluster, intimidation, and an insistence of a show of hands instead of a ballot on aJV crucial divisions may enable them to keep the game going for a time, but want of that pernicious thing called "Capital" will beat them in the' end, and they will be forced to capitulate horse, foot, and artillery. We are profoundly sympathetic with the Waihi miners. They have been betrayed by the leaders in whom they put their faith. There was a period in which they might have been saved. That period was when Messrs Semple and Webb realised that Mr Parry had made a grave technical blunder. Thesc> rreri had not the courage to jpenly acknowledge thoir mistake and retrace their steps. It is now top late. The gold will stay in the ground no matter how much water may creep into the mines or into the stocks. Gol 1 is neither an essential nor a perishable commodity. It will keep no matter how many miiers may starve. And when the Federation capitulates it will be on the mine-owners' pwn terms. This after all tfce interminable reiteration about an "industrial revolution" and bringing ''the capitalists to their knees." And all to exemplify with the sternest emphasis that the road to anarchy leads inevitably to chaos.