PATH TO ANARCHY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26027, 15 December 1945, Page 6

PATH TO ANARCHY

RAILWAY WORKERS' MOVE COMMENT BY R. 0.1. CHAIRMAN (PiA.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 14. “ Mr A- B. Grant’s apparent attempt to embroil the New Zealand Railway Officers’ .Institute in the absurd and ridiculous campaign that he and others have endeavoured to launch would not be worthy of serious comment were it not for the fact that the general public may be misled by the statements he is reported to have made,” said Mr M. J. Forde, editor of the Advocate, the official journal of the Railway Officers’ Institute and chairman of the National Executive Committee of the Railway Officers’ Institute. to-day referring to the motion carried by the Canterbury branch of the Amalgamated- Society of Railway Servants. * , , Mr Forde said that Mr Grant had resorted to the old tactics of separating words from their context in order to convey the wrong and unfounded impression that the Railway Officers’ Institute was out of step with the Minister of Railways and the management. The railway officers’ Advocate was not the official organ of the administrative staff, as Mr Grant was reported to have said, but of all the members of the first division of the railway service, the vast majority of whom were not administrative officers. Purpose of Article Mr Forde said that the article headed "Sadistic Tendencies” had general application regarding a pathological affliction to which some were subject, and urged that such ailments of character in any shape or form should be fought and those suffering from such a grievous affliction shouldfor their own sakes recognise the serious complaint and endeavour by every means to get rid of it as quickly as possible. It was clearly and definitely stated in the article that such officers, it was pleasing to note, ’ received no encouragement in the Railways Department nowadays. ;. Mr Forde quoted from an article in the Advocate which referred to the cordial relations existing between the Minister and management and the R. 0.1., and added that the present Minister of Railways had not only earned the loyalty of the members of the R. 0.1., but was also held by them in the highest respect and esteem. The Minister had never failed to redeem any promise he had made and had never let the railway officers down. Self-control First Mr Forde commented that he was k member of the A.S.R.S. as well as of the R. 0.1.. and added: “ Politically and industrially, I can find no valid reason for the latest Christchurch outbreak, which, if persisted in, must lead to anarchy, chaos, and disaster. There is no justification for it whatsoever.” Referring to the Christchurch suggestion of workers’ control, Mr Forde said: “ What is needed more than anything else at the present time by. those concerned is not the control of industry, but control of themselves.”