WHAT THE ALLIANCE OF LABOUR MEANS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 12 April 1922, Page 3

WHAT THE ALLIANCE OF LABOUR MEANS

peace or war THE END - CLASS DICTATORSHIP (Hv the Welfare League.) 1„ onr previous article on the above “Alliance” we pointed oat that i is an attempt to form a Labour Ii H > control the whole ol the industrial b - bour of New Zealand. Its declared ol - ipetivo is definitely revolutionary as it aims at abolishing private ownership and control of “the workers who operate them.” Whilst the “Alliance has ■in objective even more on the lines ot communism than the old Red federation it replaced, its policy ami tactics are not ,the same as the Reds adopted previously. From careful reading of the -A lianee” Constitution and study ol the organisation). 1 ; movements it is made Hear that it does not mean to spend its resources on a strike policy as the old Rod fed combination did. Ihe ddfeienco in policy ami tactics of this One Big Trust from what has gone before we find is misleading much of the press, most of the public and even a large mimUof of wot hers who are at present upholdbig the Alliance NOT A “STRIKE” BODY, BUT— Mr IE E. Combs, Secretary Post and Telegraph Officers Association, in pleading for the Alliance urges that it is not a strike” body. That is true in the sense that it does not encourage either sectional or general strikes at present. As a matter of tactics it deprecates such outbursts for the reason that it wants all its departments perfected before taking action, and it knows that strikes now would hinder its ambitious plan of a gigantic combination. The critics who are looking for tins “Alliance” to foment. or uphold, some- big strike are wrong—it lias no such purpose. On the other hand those who think the Alliance is honestly forindustrial peace and stability are also Wrong for its objective is a declaration of war against all industrial employers, including the Government and Municipalities. Tho policy of this “One Big Trust is the same as that employed by the German junkers prior to the great upheaval in 1914. It is inspired by the same spirit of cunning and plausible deceit. As Germany made great professions of peacefulness and high principle, whilst all the time it was enlarging and strengthening its forces for “the day, which it thought would he one of complete triumph, just so is the N.Z. Alliance of Labour following the course of peaceful penetration and meantime consolidating its strength in view of the day when it hopes to. put its communistic objective into effect. Peace tor the ultimate object of war is the industrial policy of this socialistic combine. PLAINLY CLASS DICTATORSHIP When the Alliance states that its objective is r—“ The collective ownership of the means of production and distri- i bution, and control of all industries by Hhe workers who operate them” many who read it will be disposed to say “Oh, that is only the usual hot air stuff. They only mean' it in an academic sense.” It is just that kind of supine and stupid assumption that constitutes our gravest danger. The Alliance advocates do not mean it in an abstract way but are enj gaged all over this country in preparing 1 to put it into actual effect. Proceeding j even the above objective their Constitution declares for “The organisation of the wage-workers of New Zealand on the lines of class and industry.” Already the Trust has a membership of over 40,000.' It has a big 1 pull over the organisations of some of the principal industries of the country, such as mining, shipping, railways, meat works, tramways and others. In addition the idea of working class control of industries is widely spread amongst the members of many Unions not- yet affiliated to the Alliance and is even held by a considerable body of Civil Servants, what has, to be faced is that the. neucleus of a Great Labour Trust to control all tho industries of the Dominion is now in existence backed by an extensive and continuous propaganda througliout all departments of the State. The movement afoot is for the establishment of a class dictatorship to which one political parly is lending all its assistance.

It Is not scare heads the Welfare League is presenting but a plain statement- of facts. Movements towards Bolshevism have appeared in Great Britain, South Afrieo and other parts of tho Empire. Behind the veil of pretences the “Alliance” here, with its aim for One Big Labour Trust, is the same class movement towards class dictatorship. Revolutionary and disruptive in its purpose as it is there is a dear duty upon all loyal citizens to fight this worst ol monopolies wherever it appears,