WORLD Of WORK

NZ Truth, Issue 568, 6 May 1916, Page 8

WORLD Of WORK

I —Pithy Points for Proletarian Plu^s— I

IV% !-- •BY "BXMB8BZAB." „ : ; ' 11

i Under the title of "The New Zealand Watersider," the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union have started a fourpagre monthly paper, v the first number of which was issued on the 29th ult It is the intention of the conductors of ■ the/ little sheet to confine, the columns of the "Watersider" to the discussion and elucidation of Industrial questions, particularly those relating to work on the waterfront The paper will bear no advertisements and will be distributed gratis. The Wellington Waterside Workers have defrayed the cost of the first issue, but it is the intention of the - promoters to zn&ka this pa.per tne ocgaJi of the ■workers on ■ the ■• -waterfront throughout the Dominion. This first issue is excellently got up. It is, as it should be, written by wharf workers for wharf workers, the trail of the professional press pen-pusher is conspicuously absent It is the intention that this "taboo" shall be permanent This resolve merits congratulations. "Honestas" has read the first issue right throughout. and finds nothing but to praise. The "why and wherefore" of the little sheet's appearance is frankly, fearlessly and emphatically stated. There can be no doubt or left m the minds of those who read as to the purpose and principles of those responsible for the paper's appearance. "•Honestas" trusts that waterside workers' unions ail over the Dominion will rally to the little rag's assistance and make it the power for good an industrial\ organ ought to, and can be, made. ■;.;■■'• ■; ■ •...■;. ' • ■' ' . Herbert Burrows, the eminent Socialist, who, alter fifty years' serylQo, recently retired from the Service Department London, once stood as a parliamentary candidate for Haggerston. ; His Liberal opponent on the occasion was a Mr. Bunny. "Honestas" went down to Haggerston to do a bit of canvassing for *Erbert. In one house he struck a voter who was very deaf,' had a bad memory, and could neither read nor write. After explaining to him Burrows's policy as far as this scribe was capable of so doing, and im■i pressing him with the fact that Burrows was the working man's friend, the old fellow said that he would vote for bis man if he could remember the nan-ip •THonestas'* f»hr»ptAd loudly m the octogenarian's ear: "His name is Burrows! ... Herbert Burrows." Then a happy Inspiration came to him and he added, "B-u-r-r-o-w-s— Burrows, Just think of rabbits' burrows and you won't forget!" As "Honestas" came out of , the cottage, another gentleman entered, whom he recognised as an agent for the Labor man's opponent. He did not ' dose the door as he entered and as the . old man's .deafness necessitated his I speaking very loudly, every word^could, i be heard 'quite a number of yards from ; tho cottage. The canvasser enumerati ed«all the chief points In his candidate's programme likely to win, for him the support of a working-class elector. i Soon the old fellow was heard distinct- ' ly promising to vote for the Liberal : provided he could remember the. name. Then a curious thing happened. The , rival canvasser did exactly as "Hon- > estas" had done. He shouted as loudly i as he could m the aged elector's ear: • "His name is Bunny! B-u-n-n-y — ■ Bunny. Just think of rabbits— bunnies i — and you won't forget!" "Honestas" : waited to hear no more, but beat a pre- ■ cipitate retreat, striking, as he went I the old codger's "monnicteer" from his : list! of "probables." ■.'.-■.• '-.■■• .•♦/"■ ■ The military madness is catching on ' at last m 'Murka. The armament '■ firms, not content with the fortunes • they have reaped, and are reaping, from ■ the European conflict, have managed at ' last to get a ''Preparedness" campaign going* in full swing, and, as m other ' countries, the insidious scourge has ■ swept many. Socialists and Labor men into its great greedy maw. Most notable \rf these is Charles Edward Husl- sell, author of '!Tho .Uprising ..of. the 1 Jktany," and other works, who was to l nave been the Socialist candidate for f i 'the Presidency. By taking on this "Preparedness" stunt- he has done m his "dough" and Charles Eddard is up the pole so far as his candidature for " the Presidency is concerned. Allan ■ Benson, the able author, of "A Way to Prevent War," has been chosen to carry the Ked Flag against Woodrow Wilson and all other comers. "Honestas" will : not be surprised to find a slump take place m the Socialist vote on the coming election. Not that Socialist thought and Labor politics hasn't made headway m the States since last election, or because Benson Is a less able and not so well known man as Debs. It is for ! none of these reasons, for the simple | reason that they don't exist Socialist [ thought has grown immensely m adI uerents since last Presidential election. Benson Is m every way the equal ot Dobs, and, without saying anything detrimental to that noble battler, he is m some ways superior. None recognise f this more freely and frankly than Debs himself. BensonTa writings, both as on author and as # journalist and editor, ! have made him, during the past few years^ every whit as well known as Debs. Why, then, should there be any slump In the votes cast for the Social- ! Ist at the forthcoming election for President? For two reasons. There arv many Germans and Austrlans In the ranks of the Socialist Party m the States an,d. as many leading Socialists have expressed the opinion that German militarism is responsible for the war, these have become estranged from the/party. Of course, there are numercub exceptions, but as m Germany itself, so outsldo of Qennahy. m whatever land they may bo residing for the eime being, the average German Socialist is a German first and n Socialist after—^>nrhap«. ' The othor rwißon ia thttr Pluto dodge of a "Preparedness" campaign. Tho awful things that havo happened, and are happening, m tho Old World ar« being used for nil they are worth to stampede the 'Murkan proletarian plujf on to support n policy of "Preparedness," and with the u«ual cupidity, with which the worker everywhere seems to bo afflicted, he is suckIng m tho dope with every pore of his body. When the military spirit is rampant In tho land, reason sets a back seat «md Socialism tlnd« few supporters at the ballot box. Those are "Honestna'a" reasons for unyinp ho looks for a slump In tho total of tho 'Murknn Socialist vote. At tho same time he la hoping he will prove a poor prophet. • * * But what Is thi» campaign of "Preparedness" bcln* Instituted for? "To I fnve lUo Slnt«» for the People of the 1 J?tate~H": "To bo roa^y should nny of y tho old world nutlona want to comenrid .■! mke our counJry." "Becrtus»* wo beI M^vo Jn 'Murka for thf 'Murkann." I Th<'(!« are somo of tho ro.'iyons Klvirn i by. the worklnß-rn^n Mupportcrs or tho | new niovmnont which, ot course, la i 'having th«> hwrty nuppon of the Plu«o tuiKh on both irulcs of politics. Anil. look you, whiles tho poor proletarian ,pltig:it nrr> HpmMntx patrlniic poetry nbout "Ol«? Glor) 1 ." the Steel Tru*t ; <t«lvertl«eii In tho TMttsburg pap«r« \ thus: MEN WANTED. | Tlnncm. Catchcm and Helpers — To work In ©r«n nhon*. SYRIANS. POLES and RAUX4KLLNB ' ;«-

f erred. Steady employment and good wages to men willing to work. Fare paid and no fees charged. What about "the States' for the People of the States?" "'ilurka for the Tdurkans?" What about not wanting the old world nations to come and take "your" country? Certain pro-"Prepar-edness" newspapers have declared that whether Germany or Britain wins the war, the winner will have to fight 'Murka for first place as a world Power. It is quite clear from the above advert, that the employers don't want Britons nor Germans.' Both these nations know something of Industrial organisation. Even the Austrian. Hungarian, Italian and Greek are uninvited. The Plute push invite the servile members of the most oppressed peoples of the old world to come and take the Jobs of good 'Murkans. Seems to "Honestas" the Yankee working-class need to get a different kind of **Prepareduess" stunt a-going, and they've got to get a hustle on or they'll be too late. As for those erstwhile leaders of Labor, '-who have gone over id- the"Preparedness gang, if they wiU but read, learn and inwardly digest th 6 purport of the above advert, they may realise that no amount of munitions will keep out those old world nations whom the patriotic money-mongers, who run tho Government, r want to bring m. And this is as true of every other industrial country as it is of the United States. To recognise this fact is half-way to a solution. ■ ■.-.: •■- i,' '■■•■::-.: ■■• ■-■ There two great features about the orthodox British politician, and be can always be depended upon to be true, to them. To be a long way behind and to wake up suddenly and bound to the opposite extreme. The method of aealing with' industrial matters since the beginning of the war provides a number of Instances of this peculiar avatistic trait The latest development is the unexpected action, really terrorism, by . suddenly . pouncing on half a dozen union leaders and deporting them likei criminals, whose presence is a danger to the whole public. It can be admitted, without argument, that it Is necessary that the requirements for dealing death must be kept up to the fullest pitch, particularly m a country that rouses itself so slowly as Great Britain. There lias been a lot of ,"kidstakes" handed out to the workers who have been told what an important' part they are playing m building rip the Empire, and ail the rest of it. At first they were given an increase m wages, but it was cautiously labelled a "war bonus," which meant that the workers had made no material advancement. It also carried with it that when the war stopped so would the bonus. Proof of thai if it is wanted, Is available m the recent statement made by one of the British Ministers that th© workers would be m "practically the same condition 'at the end of the war as they were at the beginning." Some, little time ago it was^ also .stated that there would not be any more advances m; wages "during the war," no matter,' presumably, if It lasted for twenty years. A few days ago, because some strikes were taking place, the union leaders were grabbed, and removed to another part of the country. Who says the British politician does not "go some" when he gets a move on? We have heard nothing of any sudden action against the other people, the employers, who are "making enormous fortunes out of the war. For Instance, the shipping companies, who are acknowledged to have made profits during the last year equalling what they made for something like ten yeara before the war. No talk of arresting any of them for bleeding the country to death m its hour of travail. Not a word, but there is arrest and a heavy fine or prison for the worker wanting a few more pence per day. The most astounding thing of all was the attitude Of Sir Edward Carson, who "asked if the six men concerned had not. by their actions, been guilty of treason T It is a staggerer to come from such a source. From Carson) the renegade Britisher, who stirred up Ireland almost to the point of civil war; who took part m arming thousands of men to fight against constituted authority, and who was prevented by the war from ultimately causing thousands of Irishmen, and, no doubt, others, to be killed because of bia treasonable attitude; who In some measure is to blame for what has taken place m Dublin during the past fortnight Why was ho never put on trial for treason? Arrest and removal without any trial whatsoever, be It remembered, In a country which has always' claimed that beautiful and touching attribute for Hnelf of "British fair play." When will the workers, not only of Great Britain, but of the whole world, wttke up and realise what war means to them?