STRIKES AND THE PUBLIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18689, 21 April 1924, Page 5

STRIKES AND THE PUBLIC.

Sir, —It is an undoubted fact that these recuiTing contests between capital ' and labour force up the cost of living, and every strike reacts more or less piously on all tillers of the soil. Capitalists are being forced more and more to form trusts to protect themselves, and being only human—like labour—they are inclined to be tyrannical, but unlike labour, they have made & study of the idiosyncratic disposition of the public goose, and see that it gets enough nourishment to lay the golden egg. Labour, being irresponsible, thinks it has nothing to lose, and only looks for eggs, not thinking how or where the goose gets its. nutriment. Preachers insist that all our labour should be seasoned with the salt- of religion. Labour has a salt of their own mixing, which mixture outsiders consider has a disturbing effect, resulting in erratic actions, so that they can neither sit nor stand. Mr. Massey last week said they can "lie." The railwaymen, in submitting their ' demands to a board, place six doaen items before the chairman, and to his surprise refuse him permission to examine the whole consignment, but offer one item only for his consideration, evidently wishing to have the rest home for use on some future occasion. They must have thought him a simple Simon and not a Solomon come to judgment. W. B. Ramsey. Mangatawhiri, April 19, 1924.