RED FED. PROPOSALS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 29 May 1914, Page 2

RED FED. PROPOSALS

THE SUGGESTED CONFERENCE. WAIHr MINERS' REPLY* A SIGNAL I'OH "HANDS OFF." At a largely attended meeting ot' members of the Ohinemuri Mines £\nd Ha 1 - tcries Km ployees' Union held recenlty, a 'circular was received from the Federation of Labour inviting the union to be represented at a conference to be. held in Wellington on 7th July, with the object of ''combining the foi-ces of Labour, and adopting a common line of political action." 'Bhe .circular jwas adversely criticised, and it was left to the executive committee to friyne a .replv. The reply his now been ' forwarded to tlie United Federation of Labour (reports the "New Zealand Herald."J It states that the proposals put forward in the Federation's circular letter are grotesque, and points out that unions arc invited to a conference with a bait of "one union, one delegate, one vote." The circular does not •veil suggest that remits be submitted. Seeing that the Federation of Labour has the support only of the smaller unions, possessing a membership of from 15 upwards, it is feasible that our iinipn. which has a membership of 1050. equivalent to the membership of from 10 t<_. 20 of the unions in sympathy with or. to put it more correctly, duped by. t lie Federation, should submit to having only the same voting power ? I+" the Federation were earnest in its endeavour to obtain the real feeling of the majority of the workers, .proportionate representation would have been unhesitatingly -decided upon. "The proposals," proceeds the reply, "are also insulting, because the Federation. in its malicious disappointment, describes the Ohinemuri Mines and Batteries Union- as the 'bosses' union. It lias vainly tried to •declare \\ aihi to lie a 'black town"; it has printed a scurrilous pamphlet bristling with misi representations and with statements abI solutely contrary to fact ; it has also published in the" pamphlet the names of members of our union, who would not sacrifice their manhood and submit their consciences and principles to the ignorant leadership of that organisation which has proved to be the greatest union destroyer. strife creator, and home breaker | uh'it this country has ever had to tolerNow that the Federation finds its funds depleted, its membership pitifully weak, its influence a laughing-stock, and finds, that, the general public, is not only unsympathetic, but hostile. _ to_ its anarchical. revolutionary I.WAV. teachings and practices, it crawls with ludicrous pleadings under the pretext ot' 'sue; es.-.fullly protecting the mutual interest of organised Labour." It crawls to this union, which lias been subjected to its insults, abuse, misrepresentation, and sneaking underhand methods ever since it was "formed—a union comprised of men who belonged to the previous union which the Federation ruined- financially and numerically, and into which it introduced the bitterness which now exists amongst the men who should have -constituted the strongest union in New Zealand." The reply also describes the circular as iiypocritical. and proceeds, "For these reasons, and for numerous others which vo|i will find clearly set out in the replv vou received from the Westport Waterside Workers' Union, w. e could not. under any circumstances, entertain for a single moment the idea of condescending' to insult any member of our union b? even suggesting to nominate him as a delegate to attend such afarcical conference as your oiieulai suggests. , "Trusting that the above facts, with which vou are already only too familial , will awaken that sense of manhood winch ought to exist even in. the misleaders of the. Federation of Labour, and that- they will cause a realisation ot the truth that the honest unionism has enough to contend against without the Federation of Labour forcing the employers and the farmers to unite lor their own protection'—a very necessary proceeding. Finally. U't. us advise you not to interfere with men who are sincere in their endeavours to do their dtit\ to their fellow men, without the hope ot personal gain or recompense. and to work in harmony for the mutual advantage of all concerned '1 hen, perhaps these 'glorious sun-kissed lulls ot freedom/ to which, among other platitudes. the Federation so frequently icfers will be nearer the reach of at least some- of us. The Federation has had one sharp lesson from Wai.u. take this as a signal for ' hallds . l °^^