A WORD TO UNIONISTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8653, 11 February 1914, Page 4

A WORD TO UNIONISTS

To tho Editor “ N.Z. Times.”

Sir,—Tho report of the Empire . irade Commissioners touches the spot in_ a matter of great importance to us and i am wondering if our Trades and Labour Unions have given it attention. they will find food for reflection in the following paragraph;—‘‘ln Australia and New Zealand . . . the proportion of tho population engaged in pastoral and agricultural pursuits is smaller than in the United States and many European countries, and the to mi population is excessive,” This can scarcely he said to be news to some of us, yet the of the commission taking a note of it requires attention. Further, it may be said to be an alarming state of affairs, for the following reason. Any intelligent person can plainly see that tho primal source of all wealth is the land, and that tlie only legitimate business of the town dwellers is to supply the wants and conveniences of those engaged in that production—for the picsent argument we will leave luxuries out of the question. Owing to the wonderful increase of output brought about by modern inventions, a given number of town workers can provide for a very much larger number of country folk. If then wo were living and working on a sound basis we would have a considerable number less engaged in town than in country.. From this we mayfairly infer that in our town life w e have a largo quantity of human power going to waste, because engaged in unnecessary and unproductive pursuits. In saying this I do not intend to confine tho argument to tho personal wants of the land dwellers. I recognise that there would be a number of town dwellers employed in making utilities for the producer of primaries, and yet others assisting to place this produce on tho market, either focal or beyond sea; but taking this Into account, I think it will be found there are too many people in tho towns unproductively engaged. They are. not—if fully employed—producing wealth; they are only exchanging it. Some of it may have been produced by labour applied to land, but much more has come through the British money-lender; it is borrowed wealth, and when called by its proper name is simply debt. This state of affairs should claim the close attention of trade unionists. It is of far more importance to them than striving for a 5 per cent, rise in wages, to be surely followed by a 10 per cent, advance in the price of commodities. The fact is patent that we should find some method of drafting a largo number, from town to country. There must be many hundreds of town dwellers possessed of sufficient means to take up lantl if they could got it at a price within their means, and so become independent of working for an employer. They would not only become employers themselves, but this movement would automatically harden up the wage rate for those left behind. If trades unionists would concentrate their efforts on tho taxation of land values and work with a will, this reform could be won at the next general election ; but to reach success it is not sufficient to discuss this question with closed doors at their meetings. They must come out in the open; they must hold public meetings and join hands with wageearners of all grades, who wjll be glad to work with them in thousands to this end. In this movement class consciousness must be put aside; it is a national question, and national work. It will redound more to their credit and prosperity as unionists than, anything else they can think of, and now is the time to begin the campaign; to leave it until a few weeks before the struggle is to court certain failure. Public feeling must be aroused and public opinion formed,; there is no time to spare. It is plainly to be seen that the Massey Ministry is determined jto spend the taxpayers’ money in bringing out emigrants to take up the positions which our native-: born surplus peculation in the towns are in justice fully entitled to —a home for themselves on the land. The Massey Ministry will do anything but the right

thing. And what is the right thing? Tax the present ruinously speculative value off the land until they bring it down to its value for use; beyond that legitimate margin they cannot tax. Then we-shall get a new lease of life. Trades unionists and wage-earners of allgrades wake up i Assert your manhood and claim your rights, not by the tom;; foolery of strikes, but by the exercise of your brains, demanding of every candj-i date for your votes that he will support no Ministry unless they are pledged to: that policy; to put it into practice and continue it until the end is reached. Reform by legislative action wo must and will have. You have the votes, and therefore the power to obtain economic freedom. Give this great step in advance n trial; for the next few months leave the haggling in the labour market severely alone; concentrate your efforts at this point Work witli a will; put your hearts into it. and when the numbers go up you will bare won a greater victory for yourselves and your country than in your wildest dreams you bare ever before conceived. —I am, etc., INDEX.