UNITED LABOR PARTY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8190, 3 August 1912, Page 8

UNITED LABOR PARTY

A BAD EMPLOYER. The "Hastings Tribune" comes across with another contribution, A writer in that journal says: “I am in deep sympathy with many of the objects of the Labor Party, and have always supported the late Liberal Party, who did so much for the workers, but I emphatically profit against the introduction of Sunday .politics.” The writer further states that •‘Professor Mills is working at a salary of jEI2 a week,” and then makes a plea against overwork. The suggestion is that ;if’ the Labor Party is working its organiser seven days a week, without overtime for extra services, something must bo wrong with tho organisation. It is good to be a sympathiser with nnv of the objects of the United Labor Party, but when one declares himself in sympathy with many of its objects, and especially becomes a champion of servants of the Labor Party who are being overworked by it, he is entitled to the just consideration of “these sweated laborers."

Thera is another thing about th'.s article' that commends itself. The writer says he has always “sympathised with

vie Labor Party.” but supported the “.ate Liberal Party.*’ Tho “late Liberal ■I arty” is good. 1 presume the corrts!i>j;ident is hesitating a.s to whether he v 11 support a political party liko tho tailed Labor Party which oyerwoiLa its organiser, and on small salaries keeps t.if-m busy tor seven days in a week' Or ■will ho support tho squatters' organisation. with its long time ajid little pay foi ail tho workers?

Xo organisation can be justified in re-: qniring people to work seven days a! week without overtime pay. the* t.uublo in this case is that tho United Labor Party would have to work about l fifteen days in tho week to keep its or- 1 ganisors from working ou their own ( account at least seven days in the week,! and that without regard to remuneration.

If the author of this humorous communication from the land of tho squatiters will giro close attention to the subject of Sunday work, he will- find oven -mall children working for long hours, in all kinds of weather, with the smallest possible return for themselves, and wxth the most limited opportunities in life, in order to earn incomes which land monopoly is able to extort from the families of those who are victims of the i-quatters. The squatters themselves would not defend the system which makes this possible. It is encouraging to know that tho “Tribune’’ correspondent is interested in the question of sweated labor, in behalf of those who are quite able to speak for themselves. Will the Hawke’s Bay “Tribune” speak for the defenceless children, whoso sweated labor is adding to the misfortunes of tho workers and to THE PRICE OF THE LAND in tho Hawke’s Bay district?