“NO RECRIMINATIONS”

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8611, 23 December 1913, Page 6

“NO RECRIMINATIONS”

VIEW'S OF ESIPLOYEES. THE HAND OF GOOD-FELLOW-SHIP EXTENDED. Tho chairman of the Employers, Farmers, and Citizens’ Defence Committee (Mr W. G. Foster) made an unofficial statement concerning the strike to a reporter yesterday. “The committee is noa now sitting,” he said. “In fact, it is 'in recess,’ andI hope will have a long holiday. Speaking for myself, I hold that the present is no time for recriminations. “As an employer I should only he too Itappy to provide employment for any of the men who were forced into the strike against their wills, and 1 hope other employers will -look at it in the same light. Tho employers, of coarse, are fully aware that tho strike was called against tho wishes of a

very largo section of tbo workers. They recognise tho men’s right to strike, 1 venture to believe, but under certain conditions. They do not, however, recognise any right of men who strike to brealc the lav; and jeopardise tho welfare of tho whole community and cause tho dislocation of established industries. 1 refer to the ■so-called sympathy strike, which involves tho suspension of work in industries that are not allied to cadi other, and of which wo had a great many examples furnished during the recent trouble.

“Speaking for myself, and I think also for other employers, this festive season is appropriate for again extendi rig tho hand of good fellowship to thoso men whoso conduct during tho strike has been within proper bounds. Tho strike is now in extremis, and tho sooner all realise it to bo so tho better.

“At the same time, employers wish it to bo clearly understood that they havo no inclination whatever to condone tho preaching of violence and misconduct of any kind, and the action that follows upon such preaching. It has been said that tho Government aimed at ‘killing’ tho United Federation of Labour by bringing in tho special constables. Tho Government did nothing cf tho kind. There was no Government that could have refused tho protection which tho circumstances demanded —protection of men who wore shipping their own goods and who were occupied in conducting their own affairs. Tho services of tho special constables had to be accepted, for the farmers were determined to see their produce away and to conduct their own affairs in their own way. It was solely for the purpose of protecting those employed on tho wharves and on tho ships (and they were arbitration unionists from tho commencement of operations) and for the re-cr.tablishmeut and preservation of law and order in the city.”