THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, MAY 24, 1918. CAPITAL AND LABOUR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17323, 24 May 1918, Page 4

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES FRIDAY, MAY 24, 1918. CAPITAL AND LABOUR.

It is a suggestive fact that on two successive days this week we have had to report the expression of a desire, emanating from very different sources, for the establishment of an improved understanding between Capital and Labour. A deputation of manufacturers in Wellington, waiting upon the Minister of Customs, invited the sympathetic offices of the State in devising a plan whereby Capital and Labour might be brought into contact with the object of promoting a better feeling between them. Th« report of Mr Witherby, general secretary of the Empire Service League, presented at a conference yesterday, embodied an earnest appeal for the creation of a better relationship based on a mutual recognition of the commission of mistakes in the past and of the interdependence and ultimate identity of the interests of all sections of the community. Incidentally, it may be observed that the action of the manufacturers in Wellington in this matter negatives Mr Witherby's assumption that Capital is, broadly speaking, not prepared to concern itself about the promotion of a better understanding with Labour. Why, indeed, should Capital not be ? It would not be any less to the advantage of Capital than it would be to that of Labour that there should be a more generous measure of forbearance on the part of each to the other and that there should be a more active co-operation between them than there has been in the past. And for this reason alone we are satisfied that any suggestion that the desire for the creation of a closer j union between Capital and Labour exists more strongly on the part of Labour than on the- part of Capital is not really well founded. Mr Witherby represents the attitude of Capital as partly selfish, largely suspicious, and mainly defensive, awaiting a conflict which must sooner or later be faced. He observes also that a feeling of mistrust exists on the part of Labour founded on the incessant teaching of a section of that party that any attempt to bring about a better understanding with Capital is "a Capitalist dodge." We venture to suggest that the promulgation of a teaching of this description offers the chief barrier to the creation of a better relationship between the two parties. For a sample of this teaching, we need not look further than this week's issue of the Maoriland Worker, the official organ of the United Federation of Labour and the Social Democratic party. In that issue is published, in all the prominence of heavy type with large headlines, an appeal to the electors of the Grey constituency, from which we make the following extract: The present form of Society rests on tho private ownership of land and the machinery of production. The owners of most of the land and machinery constitute what is economically known as the Capitalist Class. Hence the use of the term "The Capitalist Form of Society. ' This form of ownership divides society in this as in all other countries into two distinct opposing classes—the Capitalist Class and tho Working Class. Ihe men and women of the Working Class (workers with hand and brain) produce the wealth, that sustains Society, while they are held in complete economic subjection to the Capitalist Class. . The interests of the Capitalist Class impel* it to seek to secure an ever increasing proportion of work produced by the Working Class. The interests of the \\ orking Class relentlessly force it to strive for a larger share (in tho form of . wages) of the values it produocs. Hence there is a struggle, which is called the Class Struggle, between the two clnsses. It is Labour's historic mission to end this Class War; and this it oan only do by changing tho economic conditions which make Class War inevitable—by removing the foundation causes of class antagonisms. This sort of teaching it is that is circulated week after week by the publicstion which is the official expression of the only organisation in the dominion that claims to represent Labour in all its branches. This fact alone may be said to constitute some justification for the existence on the pari of Capital of the attitude which Mr Witherby deplores. It is no doubt true that it is. a teaching which is rejected by tlie majority of intelligent working people. If its sanity had seemed questionable to them before, they cannot any longer entertain much doubt upon that point. For it is a thinly-disguised Bolshevism that is preached by those who profess to be the leaders of Labour in New Zealand. And whither Bolshevism may lead has been shown very clearly in the depressing but instructive history of recent months in Russia. Labour of the class which is not attracted by these extreme views possesses, however, no organisation in the dominion to enable it to check the unfortunate effects of the circulation of literature such as we have quoted. If Labour as a whole is misjudged—distrusted, it may be—the explanation consists very largely in the fact that a mischievous propaganda of this character is ceaselessly maintained in its name. The interests of Capital and Labour are not diametrically opposed. There is no inevitable class war. If there were, all attempts to bring about a better understanding and to promote a closer relationship between Capital and Labour would bo futile. The common sense of members of both classes tells them that there is no insurmountable obstacle to tho establishment of a harmonious connection between employer and employed, based on mutual respect. And tlie agony of tho w t ar, in which men from all grades of. society have fought and suffered and fallon together, should surely contribute to the growth of that mutual respect upon which the closer relationship would be founded.

UMPIRE DAY. I HKi;f. inay perhaps seem to bo a touch of paradox in tho .suggrat-ion i hat the ohrorvanco of Empire Day is loss important, or at least less imperative, during the epoch of stress and tension than it was, and inay ho again, in normal times of peace and security. Ifc is a fact, however, that, the value of this particular observanco is specially realised in seasons of quiet repose, when current events do not serve to impress the significance of the Imperial relationship upon our minds, and when consequently we aro apt to take the advantages and responsibilities of Imperial citizenship rather too easily as a- matter of course. Such carelessness or apathy, requiring the corrective stimulus of anniversary celebration, is inconceivable at tho present time. Eve'ry British community has learned, more or less, to think and feel in the spirit of Empire during this testing period of common peril, and it might almost be said that every day since August 4, 1914, has been an Empire Day. Since that "great division of time" more than 860 New Zealand casualty lists have been issued— casualties (lightly so-called) suffered in the cause of true Imperial principles— and this record, at oiice sombre and lustrous, declares eloquently that New Zealand needs no present reminder concerning the claims of Imperial sentiment and duty. Empire Day is specially, and most fittingly, connected with the memory of Queen Victoria, who herself exercised such a richly beneficent influence upon the growth of a sane and essentially democratic spirit of Imperialism. Indeed, tho association of May 24 with the thought of the great and good Queen, whose memory is venerated by all well-conditioned minds throughout the British dominions, almost necessarily remains as a permanently accepted fact for the middle-aged and elderly people. There may, perhaps, be some who, as the day comes round, still find a difficulty in realising that it is not "the Queen's Birthday." In an appreciable sense, indeed, it is " the Queen's Birthday" for all time. More than seventeen years have gone by since Queen Victoria passed to her rest "in a good old age, full of honour," and it is ninety-nine years to-day since she was born. It is devoutly to be hoped that when the date for celebrating the centenary arrives, a year hence, the Empire will be enjoying the unspeakable blessing of restored peace— a peace establishing the security of ordered freedom and humane civilisation, not only throughout the British Empire, but among all the peoples who have suffered from the heartbreaking ravages of these cruel years. Victorian ideals are not to be despised in the retrospect, let saucy cynics say what they will. Empire Day, 1919, will be "Victoria Day " in a unique sense. Even in 1918 we shall do well to remember the association and the lesson it conveys.

Tho Hon. J. A. Hanan, acoompaniod by Mrs Hanan and Mr F. M. Sherwood (private secretary), arrived in Dunedin by tho express from Invercargill last night. The Minister, who is staying at the City Hotel, will receive a deputation from the Kindergarten Association this forenoon, and the Rev. A. Cameron and Professor BoysSinith will wait on him to urge additional accommodation at the School of Domestic Science. Tho Minister and party will leave for Wellington direct by the north express on Saturday morning. Bishop Nevill ha 6 given directions that, in view of the impending attack by Germany on the West front, special intercessions shall be offered in all the Anglican churches in the diocase on Sunday next. At tho last meeting of the Otago Harbour Board it was decided that Messrs J. Mill and Co. should be offered an extension of their contract for the receiving and delivery of goodb at Dunedin at the current rate for a further period of two years. Messrs Mill and Co. have now replied, accepting the offer, but requesting, in view of the heavy outlay on plant, that the term of the contract be increased to three or four years. At the same meeting of the board a sub-committee reported recommending the purchase of two sections at Port Chalmers from Mr Mill at a cost of £160, and tho report was adopted by six votes to five. Mr Mill has ™w written to the board advising that the sections are not for sale, but that should he decide to dispose of them he will notify tho board before doing so. The district engineer of the New Zealand railways lias written to the Otago Harbour Board stating the terms on which it is proposed to lease certain land at the* Polichet Bay station to the Education Board, to be utilised for agricultural purposes in connection with the Albany Street School.

The Red Cross Executive in Dunedin has received the following additional gifts for the military oonvalcscent home at Montecillo: Mr R. M. Turnbull, roller-topped desk; Dr and Mrs Russell Ritchie, £100; Mr James Gray, jun., gramophone and records; Mr William Souter (Waikouaiti), 10 guineas; and as the result of a Dndd service at St. Stephen's Church, Hampden, .in memory of E. M. Davies, £5 . From the response already made by some of the Mornington residents to the appeal for funds for a cot in the convalescent home, there seems little doubt that the district collectors, who aro now at work' throughout the borough, will be generously met. Two boys appeared before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., in the Juvenile Court yesterday charged with tho theft of two gold watches, of the total value of £15 10s, the property of Gertrude Applegate and Mma King respectively. They pleaded guilty. Senior-sergeant Murray stated that the young ladies went to the Woodliaugh Gardens for tho purpose of having a game of basket ball. They left their watches in their baskets in a bush, and when they returned for them they were missing. Some days later one of tho watches was given to Sergeant M'Kenzie by a boy, who said he had received it from one of the accused. The juvenile probation officer (Mr Sureties) informed tho court that he had had one of the boys under him for some time, and his oonduct had been unsatisfactory. He had not been under proper control for some time, and the culminating point was reached when this offence was committed. Tho other boy had a good home, and his parents were most respectable people. The magistrate committed the boy whoso conduct was described as unsatisfactory, to tho Training Farm at Stoke, to be up in the Wesleyan form of religion, and suggested that the father be proceeded against for maintenance. Tho other boy was admonished and placed under the supervision of tho Rev. E. A. Axelsen.

A meeting of shareholders in the United Starr Bowkett Society was held last night and was well attended. Tho ballot for tho 206 th appropriation of £500 in No. 1 group was drawn by cluster 106, held by two membens, and the 207 th appropriation in tho same group was drawn by cluster No. 150, hold by one member. The ballot for tho 48tli appropriation in No. 3 group was drawn by cluster No. 33, held by one member. The sale of £500 in this group realised £39 por £100. Mr E. A. Rosovear (chairman of directors) st&tod that in tho now No. 4 group 1554 shares had been allotted, I wing only 446 shares to complete this group. He also stated that £1000 would bo disposed of next month. At a public meeting at Kaitangata on Tuesday evening, I,ho Mayor submitted a motion:—" That a committee, with power to add to its number, be sot up to devise ways and means to accomplish the erection of a soldiers' memorial town hall." After a good deal of difcu-ssion, tho motion was last in favour ofan amendment: " That the matter of a memorial bo left over until tho war is ended."

Mr J. Watt, who will bo remcnitx-red | as a former resident of B.ilclpthn, writes | to us from Nelson with itlVtoiicij io tho condemnation of a largo part of o. recent consignment of potatoes which arrived in Dunedin from Australia, suggesting that potato Hour might bo mado out of the diseased potatoes. Ho reealla a timo in his boyhood when tho potato crops in Ireland and Scotland were blighted, and Bays tliat at that period hie father, who was a millwright in a village in tho south of Scotland, adopted a process by wliioh heaps of diseased and evil-smelling potatoes were treated so as to produco potato flour — a flour similar to cornflour or arrowroot and used for purposes such as thoso for which these oommoditios aro used. " For a considerable time," Mr Watt writes, "there was quite a run on this then new product, and a number of mills were erected for tho manufacturo of potato flour. Tho mills wero inexpensive, and could bo driven either by hand of by power. For years after this, small or diseased potatoes, instead of being fed to pigs and fowls, wero converted into potato flour." An unusual position arose before the Military Service Board at Auckland on Friday, when tho adjourned appeal of Harry Lewis, ship's steward, wus considered. The appeal was based on the ground that Lewis was not a lesorvist of New Zealand, being a citizen of tho United States, and an adjournment had been grantodj in order to allow a copy of his birth certificate to be obtained. V\ hen the case was called, however, Mr Singer, counsel for appellant, said that a somewhat unexpected reply had been received from the United States. He produced a letter from the registrar of Jack sonville, Florida, stating that the latter was unable to furnish such a certificate, owing to the fact that no records of births had been 'kept prior to 1893, andi were rather incomplete from that year to May, 1901, in which month the majority of the records had been destroyed by fire. This reply rather nonplussed the board, tho chairman expressing considerable surprise that in so progressive a, country there could be any town where records of births had not been kept before 1893. Major Conlan finally suggested that as the United States was now also in the war tho case should be referred to the American Consul-general, A* Winslow, this suggestion being adopted by the board. Extracts from your circular read " the Harley people aro advertising in a wild manner" "is all rot," "the name the only stock thing about them." What benefit do you expect to derive issuing this? Surely ar<? aware that tho Hurley-Davidson is tho supreme masterpiece of motor cycle enterprise.—W. Stuart Wilson and Co., D uned in.—Advt. Fifteen months ago, in the Octagon Hall, the late Dr Bedford gave an address at the farewell function to the late Rev. A. Allen. News came to hand recently that Chaplain Allen had been killed on the western front. A united Methodist memorial service will be held on Sunday aiternoon in the Oc'tagon Hall, when tho address will he given by Chaplain W. A. Hay. Chaplain C. Eaton will preside, and all Methodist chaplains and ministers will take part. Men's Ceylon shirts, 10s 6d quality for 5s lid (size 16j only), on sale to-day at Mollisons May Bargain Fair.—Advt. Watson's No. 10 ia a little dearer than most whiskies, but is worth the monev Advt. Gilmour Bros., Carroll street, for "No Rubbing" Laundry Help and " Golden Rule" Soap. Best for every home.—Advt. Ladies, lighten the labour in your homes by using a "Hotpoint" Electric Radiant Grill for all light cooking. Users state "As indispensable as an electric iron, and so inexpensive." Call and inspect.—Turnbull and Jones (Ltd.), electrical engineers.— Advt. A. E. J. Blakeley, dentist, Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 1859 — Eyestrain!—Consult Mr Peter G Dick D.8.0.A., F. 1.0. (London), consulting and oculists optician.—Peter Dick, jeweller etc 490 Moray place, Dunedin —Advt.