UNIONISM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22475, 20 July 1936, Page 12

UNIONISM

Sir, —For the benefit of all my opponents I wish to make it clear that X am in full sympathy with the workers in respect to wages they should receive and the hours that they should work, but I and many others are positively against the methods of unionism; and while It. S. Mackay thinks that I am ''more emphatic than reasonable" I will leave it to others to judge whether or not unionists are not very much more so when they will enact such a drastic and cruel law as will deprive reputable and efficient workers of their right to earn their living and only because they decline to join some union. Surely a man has the right to choose the com--pany ha shall keep without the union's dictation. I am told that "all that any unionist asks of the non-unionist is that lie joins the union." Now the unionists do not ask, they demand, they ; insist and go a long way further. They use the strongest weapon at their command and threaten to bring men to starvation in order to gain their ends. Nor do they stop thero: they threaten that such men will not be allowed relief work or sustenance. Are such methods reasonable? Are they humane? They certainly are emphatic to the superlative degree. The "Carpenter of Galilee" has been quoted, but such unchristian methods would never be put into operation by Him. Democrat.