THE END OF THE RAILWAY STRIKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12272, 16 May 1903, Page 4

THE END OF THE RAILWAY STRIKE.

The Railway Strike in Victoria has come to an end, the men having consented to return to work unconditionally. This was the only termination of the unfortunate dispute possible. The strikers, through their ill-advised action, had placed themselves in direct antagonism to the whole community. They had, without any adequate justification, paralysed the whole carrying trade of the State, and brought about incalculable evils affecting all classes of society. It is difficult to understand the motives which led them into i taking a course so completely calculated to alienate from them all public sympathy. No strike of such magnitude, of such far-reaching effect, or so disastrous in its results to the body politic, was ever resolved upon for reasons so weak. The men, however, are to be congratulated upon their speedy return to sense and sanity. While the Government are bound to ignore the claims for leniency of those leaders of the men who were directly responsible for the strike, there will, it may be assumed, be no disposition to punish too _ harshly those who rashly followed their advice. The strike and its end, however, afford a lesson which all unionists may profitably ponder over.