THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 1912. BALLOTS AND STRIKES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15075, 19 August 1912, Page 6

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 1912. BALLOTS AND STRIKES.

The prejudice displayed by the officials at the special general meeting of: the Waihi Miners' Union held on Saturday makes very evident the fact that Mr. Massey laid his finger on the weak spot in the Federation of Labour when he announced his intention of enacting that secret ballots under official supervision should be taken by unions before determining to strike. Not only was the motion proposing a ballot as to whether an attempt should be made to draw up an agreement—mutually satisfactory to miners and mineowners—to be ratified by the Arbitration Court, autocratically ruled out of order, but it was decided to strike out the clause in the registered rules of the Union which provides for a ballot being taken when demanded by two members upon any question. Whether this and other questionable amendments made to registered rules will bo accepted by the Registrar remains to be seen but, in any case, it is quite plain that the Federation officials have made up their minds to throw democratic principles overboard in their fight for the control of the organisation machinery. The announcement that no " forward movement" will be sanctioned in the future by the Federation executive unless a month's notice in writing is given of contemplated action indicates the difficulties which have been created by the acceptance of the method of striking first and giving notice afterwards. This, however, is evidently not designed to preserve the industrial peace, but to prevent too heavy a load being thrown upon the Federation. The public is therefore not under any debt of gratitude to an organisation constructed upon the lines of that most pernicious of American anarchistical societies, the so-called Independent Workers of the World, and will watch with interest and approval Mr. Massey's effort to return the control of union action into the hands of the members of unions, and thus to minimise the influence, and authority of paid agitators, who are endeavouring to use union organisation as a weapon against the State itself. Absolutely no sound reason can be advanced in a democratic country against the secret ballots in any voting upon questions affecting collective action. Modern democracy is based not only upon equality in voting but upon secrecy in voting, the universally accepted argument being that only by secrecy in voting can the individual feel secure in expressing his" personal opinion and conviction. Every civilised country in the world has adopted the secret ballot in all public elections and votings. We have it in Now Zealand in a dozen forms, and the politician who suggested a return to open voting would instantly be denounced on all sides as an enemy of the people and a reactionary of the

worst type. The secret ballot was fine of the leading demands in. the famous Chartist agitation, and was finally secured after a long and desperate political campaign. In the great British unions it has become firmly established as the only reliable method of obtaining the views and opinions of the great body of members, and in colonial unions has been generally accepted as a part of the natural order of things, as witness the rules registered under the Trades Union Act by the Waihi Union itself. But a new spirit is entering into colonial unionism, or, rather, an attempt; is being made to introduce a new spirit. Terrorism is to take the place of argument; violence is to replace moral suasion; the moderate and reasonable unionist is to be subject to abuse and calumny if he does not obey meekly the behests of official tyrants. In order to overawe and terrorise the moderate it is obviously necessary that the secrecy of the ballot shall be invaded and that men shall vote openly upon matters profoundly affecting their lives and the lives of those dependent upon them, while the reckless and intolerant watch and wait, ready to visit upon their heads the penalty of resistance to official tyranny. There is some charm even in the pretence of democracy after its reality has vanished, and this is thoroughly realised by the Federation officials. As long as they can secure a majority they feel safely entrenched in power, no matter how their majority is secured; and they bitterly oppose the secret ballot under independent and public supervision because they realise that such a ballot would enable any body of unionists to act as it wished to act and not as it was ordered to act. Contempt for agreements, intolerance and violence are consistent enough with dislike to democratic methods and anarchistical hatred of law, but it may be safely assumed that any organisation embodying these social vices cannot appeal permanently to any considerable body of self-respecting New Zealanders.