LABOUR AND CAPITAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17323, 24 May 1918, Page 3

LABOUR AND CAPITAL

THE NEED OF BETTER UNDERSTANDING. report presented by Mr Percival Wifcherby, hon. gxxneral secretary, at a conforenco of delegates of tho Empire Service JLioaguo held in Wellington yesterday, was devoted m largo moasure to the subjcct of one or tho four chief objects of the league— namely, 'to influence opinion -among* employers and employees in favour of closer and moro sympathetic rolations." In introducing this branch of his report Mr v\itnerby, baaing his statements upon interviews which he had had in tho last five months with between 400 and 500 men and women expressed the conviction that people t°- ( lay as they had never ought before. Inhere never was a time ■o opportuno as the present for thought to create thought, f6r examplo to stimulate eSample. There never was a time so pregnant with possibilities not only for good, but ill. The public mind was sensitive— plastic. It waited, and in some directions % vas_ beginning to wait somewhat impatiently, for trno and courageous leadership. Provided there was strength and sincerity of purpose to cast shibboleths, idle repetition, and unworthy barriers aside— shibboleths and barriers which were now leaving people cold—provided there was an honest lead given to 'uphold and practise those fundamental principles which alone distinguished men from animals and made nations great, then to churches, to statesmen, to any man, be he prince or ploughman, who could see and speak, and act and feel, was given to-day a uniquo opportunity to bring about a radical change for the better in the nation's thoughts and acts. During a tour in the South Island, ho had got in touch, and had many talks, with numbers of men working at different trades, at a weekly wage, as well as several labour leaders. He regretted he had not permission from tho latter to mention their names, far, though their conversations were interesting and very friendly, they all, without exception, asked for and received a pledge that he would not do so. These men were, however, ,weli known. Their sincerity was unmistakably plain, and they meant what they said. Tho views he 'would endeavour to express were a faithful general report of tho feelings and opinions he had gleaned from them, and also from a large number of "workers." Mr Wjtherby proceeded :— First: I have found an ingrained distrust or suspicion of any attempt at a "rapprochement."- I have noticed the same thing in England, Canada, and Australia. I have investigated the_ cause of this mistrust, and am satisfied it springs from the incessant teaching of a section of labour that any attempt to bring about a better understanding _ with capital is "a capitalist dodge," and is also tho inherited natural suspicion existing probably in every country among thousands of workers, directly due to the fact that wealth in the past has so frequently demeaned itself. After all, it is not easy to believe in the good intentions and friendly advances of those by whom in the past one has not been fairly treated. Secondly: I have found a very general feeling of resentment and belief that wealth is permitted by jsublio opinion to make money out of this war which labour either cannot, or is not permitted to make. Not once, but continually, time after time, at meetings or during conversations, has the Wool Conference which was held in Wellington in the early stages of the war for the purpose of discussing the prico offered by the British Government for the New