INDUSTRIAL WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16243, 28 November 1914, Page 12

INDUSTRIAL WORLD.

NEWS AND NOTES

ki tn Hon. J. T. Paul, M.L.C.

Items of ittbroiaiion and briet oormnanta .as questions oaming under this heading, are always •welcome. Books, pamphlets, etoo., eent to tUe author of this oolnmn will also be notioed.

MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK.

The following Labour organisations will meet in the Trades Hall during the week: To-night (Saturday).—Shipwrights. Monday.—Saddlers; Butchers (oommittee). 1 uesday. —Plumbers. Wednesday.—Railway Servants. Ihursday. —Otago Labour Council; Social Democratic Party. Friday.—Engineers, Plasterers. THE SIX-DAY WEEK A big section of Victorian workers has just won the boon cf one day's rest in seven. Slowly, but surely, this reform is growing, and the time cannot bo far distant when all workers will enjoy the very necessary respite in each working week. The following clause in the new Victorian Factories and Shops Act comes into force on January 1 next: —"In cases where any of such shops (uoti'ee houses, coffee palaces, eating houses, fish and oyster shops, restaurants, hotels, wine shops, artd clubs) arc usually kept open, or business is usually carried on, on ah the seven days of tho week, any person having the management thereof shall cause and permit e.ich person employed therein to have and take in each week a whole holiday of 24 hours, com- , mencing at the usual hour of beginning work on such day in each week as the manager in cach case of such worker thinks £t. Provided that between the first day of December in each year, and the last day of February next following, in all parts of "Victoria situate more than 10 miles from the metropolitan district, a half-holiday only need be given." THE VICTORIAN ELECTIONS. By the time these notes appear tho results of Thursday's general elections in Victoria should be known. From the point of view of political Labour, Victoria has been the most backward State in theCommonwealth. Certainly, it has had, like , all the rest of tho States, a Labour Government, but it was formed from a LabourParty of 20 in a House of 65 members, and it lived just nine days. Three years ago the e'ections were disappointing from a Labour point of view. It was the first occasion on which Labour lost ground—that is, speaking from the inception of Labour in politics. In 1891 four Labour members were returned; in 1901 the number reached 11; in 1910 the number was 21. Ihree Tears ago the number was reduced to 19, out during the last Parliament the party improved its position at by-elections, so that in the dissolved Parliament Labour numbered 21. If the success of the Federal Labour Party at the recent elections can be taken as any guide, then Labour should improve its position as a result of this week's election. In these stressful times political prophecy is out* of the question, . and in the present case prophecy ie unnecessary, since the result should be known today. OUR OWN ELECTIONS. As nomination day draws near it is at. least possible to give a fairly accurate list of Labour's standard-bearers at the polls on December 10. Three . years ago some 20 official Labour candidates wooed the electors, and the Sacialist Party nut forward seven candidates. This is' the fourth occasion on which organised Labour seeks to enter Parliament as an independent partyt At all elections for the past 12 years there have been cases where a Socialist and Labour candidate stood in opposition. On 1 ths occasion there is no division of that character. In Dunedin ' and Wellington Labour Representation Committees have been set up, and these committees are representative of all shades of Labour political thought. The official candidates running under these auspices are as follows: — Dunedin Central. —J. W. Munro. Dunedin North. —A. Walker. Wellington East. —D. M*Laren. • Wellington South. —A. H. Hindmarsh. Wellington Suburbs.—F. T. Moore. The Social Democratic Party is contesting various seats, and the following is a list of its candidates: — Auckland Central. —M. J. Savisre. Eden. —W. E. Richards. Palmerston.—J. Thorn. Wellington North—H. E. Holland 1 . Otaki. —J. Robertson. Lyttelton.—J. M'Combs. Christchurch East. —H. Hunter. Avon. —D. J. Sullivan. Grey.—P. C. Webb. The National Executive of the United Labour Party has endorsed the- following candidatures: — Christchurch South.—G. R. Whiting. Wangamii.—W, A. Veitch. Grey Lynn.—G. Fowlds. In the last-named constituency Mr J. Payne, who sat in the Oast Parliament as a Labour member, is again contesting tho seat, but his candidature has not received the official endorsement of any of the political Labour organisations. THE SOCIALISTS AND THE WAR. It has been difficult since the beginning of the war to accurately describe the attitude of the German Socialists to the war. The German Social Democratic Party was part and parcel of "The International," and was pledged against war. As I have pointed out, the German Socialists strove for peace before the war, but what have they done since? In an illuminating article on the international position as regards the attitude and efforts of Socialists, William E. Bohn, writing in the International Socialist Review, throws much new light on . some hitherto unknown episodes. In the first partof his article he reviews the attitude and efforts of Socialists towards war. Then he continues:— " The really sore spot is the part played by the German Socialists. When the time came to vote on the War Budget thei Socialist group in the Reichstag went wrong. Of tho 112 members of the group 80 attended the caucus at which this action

was determined upon. A strong minority was opposed to it. In various reports the size of tfiis minority has been given ae 12. as 17, and as 38. I suspcet that the smallest of these numbers is nearer the truth than the largest. But Karl Liebknccht belonged to the minority, and Karl Kautsky, who was present, supported him. There is said to have been some very plain speaking on thia occasion. The majority decided to support the Budget, and the group voted as a unit. The address -which was made by the Socialist spokesman offered no adequate reason for this action. The world as a whole has taken it as an evidence of treason to Socialist principles. ". . . We must 6ay to the German Socialists, calmly, but. quite firmly and clearly, that they have failed us; that for the present they are not acting as Socialists; that essentially the majority of them are not Socialists. I recognise the fact that they were ill-informed and misinformed at tho time they made their terrible decision. But this was in part their own fault. They went to the Prime Minister for information and believed what he told them. Of course, this apparent, simple-mindedness was not due to anv lack of intelligence. These men ■were simply not enough different from bourgeois people in their ways of thinking tb act in accordance with the interests of the working cla.?s of the world during this time of tremendous stress. All that we American Socialists can say about this is that we are sorry." Attempts are now being made to hold a Socialist peace conference. The progress and possibilities of such a gathering ai;ethus dealt with in the current English Labour Leader:— "The movement towards an international Labour and Socialist Conference for the purpose of promoting an early and permanent peace progresses enoouragindy. Last wrwk we reported that the Socialist of Holland and Italy had suggested a gathering: this week we are glad ip add that the Socialist Party of America has taken action also. The first step of its executive was to send the following cablegram to the secretaries of the ' sections' of the International in Britain, Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Holland. Sweden, Denmark, and Switzerland: In the present crisis, before any nation is completely crushed. Socialist representatives should exert every influence on th fir respective Governments to have warrini countries accept mediation by the United States. Thig can still be done without loss of prestige. Conference should be held at Hague or Washington. Have cabled Sbcialist parties of 10 nations urging this action. Wire reply—Socialist Party of America.—(Signed) Victor Berger, Morris Hillquit, Walter Lanfersiek, secretary. " Following this urgent appeal, an invitation has been issued to the Socialist parties affiliated to the International to hold a Peace Conference at Washington, the American Party generously offering to pay the greater part of the expenses. If the Socialists of Europe cannot leave their countries for tho period of time a Conference at Washington would necessiate, the American Party suggests that Copenhagen or The Hague should be the venue of the gathering. Meanwhile, negotiations continue be-

tween the Y&rioua Socialist parties of Europe regarding the proposal of tin: Dutch Socialists that a conference should be callcd in Holland. The difficulties are many, both internal and external, but we trust that every national 'section' will think of the days that are to conic rather than of the days that are gone. Any International Conference to bo successful must bo 6U,I >" moned on an absolutely neutral basis and there must be no recriminations ae to the past. If we look at the situation from the German point of view we find it difficult to blame the German Socialist, if wo look at the situation from the French point of view wo find it difficult to blame the French Socialist. Honceforth wo must all look at the situation from the international point of view and make certain that never again shall our world-embracing ideal be blurred by the smoke and blood and tears of a "war in which the Socialists of one country bear arms against their comrades of another." •JOTTINGS. The balance sheet of the Wellington Hotel and Restaurant Workers' Union for the half-year shows a credit balanco of over £150. The number of new members has been very satisfactory—a total of 521. The Wellington Engine-drivers' Union has decided by ballot to affiliate -with the United Federation of Labour. The Furniture Workers' and Shearers' Unions are about to take a ballot, and the Bootmakers' Union is considering the question. " Last month the treasurer of one of the Auckland Unions returned from a six months' trip to Scotland," writes "Industrial Tram:i " in Auckland Star's " Labour Notes." "He reports that work in the textile industry is very brisk indeed in the (lid Country by reason of the war. In his native county 22 mills that have not turnel a spindle for over 20 years because of tlieir trade having been captured by Germany, and the machinery in which had been in vaseline for that time awaiting a revival of trade, arc now working overtime in order to cope with the large orders received from the War Office. The shipbuilding and other iron trades are also busy. He had to book hii return passage .three months ahead owing to the scarcity of steamers. Another unionist left his native country — Holland--on the day before war 'was declared. Crossing the Notth Sea, he met the British fleets coming out of the Thames, and it was the sight of a lifetime. Being a naturalised British citizen, he received a . friendly warning to get back to British territory. but he leaves brothers mobilised into the Dutch Army and stationed; along the frontier, to preserve the neutrality of Holland. The preservation of this neutrality by an army of over 200,000 is an expensive matter for a country that .is not at war, and ho reports that provisions are very dear indeed, as,-the bulk of stocks in Holland have been commandeered by the War Department. He was glad to get back to the dominion.