The Otago Witness. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN MERCURY. (TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1922.) THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3583, 14 November 1922, Page 39

The Otago Witness. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN MERCURY. (TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1922.) THE WEEK.

“Nnnquam allud nature, allud sapientis —Juvenal. “Good nature and good sense must ever join. Torn.

The Shipping Hold-up.

Once more, unhappily, the Dominion ’* face to face with a sitna-

tion in which a sectii it of workers, misled by

extremist leaders, have arrayed themselves in conflict with the community and at the expense of the. public comfort and convenience, in order to attempt to redress an alleged grievance. Moreover the concerted action of the seamen in virtually refusing to accept the award of the Arbitration Court which has just come into operation amounts to a. flouting of the entire machinery set up for the settlement of industrial disputes, and in addition it spells a course which, if persevered iu, leads back directly to the barbarism of the method of direct action. The alarming position to-day is that owing to the cessation of work on the part of the sailors and foremen not only is practically the whole of the coastal fleet laid up. hut the ferry' service is suspended and all communication between the North and South Island is interrupted. The consequences to trade and commerce generally cannot fail to be most serious, especially in relation to perishable cargo, such as fruit and farm produce, and the hold-up if prolonged, must lie productive of unemployment on an extensive scale. And this at a time when the near approach of Christmas promised a busv time to business people irmiera'lv is most exasperating. Nor is the trouble confined to the Dominion, since steamers in Sydney and Melbourne, whose crews are on -New Zealand articles, have also been prevented from sailing, and the intercolonial service is seriously interfered with. At bottom, of course, the action of the seamen is a protest against the wage reduction embodied, in the new award, a reduction amounting to 25s 8d per month. This decision was reached after a hearing during which the seamen's case was submitted at considerable length, and was in complete accord with the decrease in the cost of living. Tt is true that the Seamen’s Union did not want an Arbitration Court

award, but were in favour of an agreement by negotiation such as was effected two years ago, but under the provisions of the Act they were liable to a citation before the Court, a summons which they reluctantly obeyed. The decision of the Court in reducing wages was in accordance with the trend of recent awards, and it is simply folly—or worse—on the part of the seamen to deem that by overt action they can arrest the downward movement in wages. The suicidal effect of such action will shortly be apparent since, if the paralysis oi shipping continues, the resultant scarcity oi commodities cannot fail to arrest that downward movement in prices which the consumer was beginning to hail with satisfaction. There are ugly rumours afloat of the possibility of an irritation strike, tactics almost"certain to provoke reprisals on the part of the shipping companies, and consequently a prolongation of what is, from the public point of view, an unbearable condition of affairs. All eyes are now turned towards the Government, and Mr Massey, having returned to Wellington, it may be taken for granted that he will bring the utmost pressures to bear upon all parties concerned to secure a speedy and satisfactory settlement. "it is a very diffieu't question,!’ said the Prime Minister, and everyone will join in his expressed hope that the stoppage of the shipping will not last long.

Labour and the General Election.

Labour is doubly unfortunate in its leaders, and the : prospects

of Labour candidates at the forthcoming poll cannot fail to be affected by

the precipitation of what, after all, amounts to a strike of the seamen. It may be doubted whether the decision to sign off from their vessels represents the deliberate judgment of the majority of the seamen themselves; it may be taken for granted that their action, carrying with it, as it does, the dislocation of the entire business life of the Dominion, has not the approval of the great body of the workers. Even considered as a'protest against an enforced wage reduction, it is most ill-timed and ill-advised. If, as is alleged in some quarters, there exists a general feeling of dissatisfaction and a sense of injustice against the reduction in wages now projeeding, the General Election now so dose at hand furnished the wage-earners all over New Zealand with an effective method of registering their dissatisfaction. It is within the power of the majority of the electors to return to Parliament a sufficient number of members pledged to resist all reductions in wages, and such a course would at least be intelligible and consistent. The fact that the seamen are not satisfied to proceed along rational and constitutional lines, but have resorted to the evasive tactics reflected in »he shipping hold-up, is oroof that they lack public support, and are determined to revenge themselves upon a long-suffer-ing public to the utmost degree. Even a worm will turn, and the seamen must sot be surprised if the public evince their indignation at the tactics persisted in by noting out Labour on polling day. It only needs for Mr Massev to take a strong line in respect of the shipping iispute and force the hands of the seamen and sbia>«r:g companies alike to snsure a speedy- settlement, and the majority of the electors will show their gratitude by sending the Reform Partyjack to Parliament with a bigger najoritv than ever before. Mr Holland ind his Labour compatriots *ire indulging n loud-mouthed complaints because official Labour is being charged with disloyalty. It must be remembered, however, that -he charges of dislovalty, of w-hich much s being made bv Reform candidates, is >ased on the explicit utterances of rerolutionary communists, some of which itterances, doubtless, thev would gladly orget, An opportunity- offers to-dav for dr Holland, Mr Fraser, and tbe rest if the leaders of Labour to rehabilitate bemselves in public opinion. In their iffieial position thev doubtless possess the lower to restrain the revolting seamen ,nd persuade them to submit to the Arbitration Court award and return to heir ships. So golden an opportunitv iught not to be neglected, and we urge he Labour leaders to ioin hands with ifr Massey in securing an immediate ettlement.

Mr Lloyd Goorqe's Warning.

'ertain of the influences at work in the

Dominion have their reflection in the conditions prevalent in the Homeland. In the course of his election campaign. Mr Lloyd Oeorge

as frequently warned the people of Great Britain against the menace of an mipient Bolshevism. Speaking at Haverord West he said that Britain from pi thin was menaced bv the same thing phieh had reduced Russia to famine and o want, and that unless that menace pas nipped in the bud the whole fabric f commerce, trade and prosperity would ome toppling down until “mighty tritain, whose name rang round the earth, mold become a poor crawling thing rith her trade, commerce and financial upremacy all gone. And Mr T.lovd leorge made an appeal to Labour to get id of the so-called intellectuals and heorists who were leading her astray. l business manifesto, extensively signed, i in circulation, commending the claims f Mr Lloyd George to the electors on lie ground that he is “best fitted to hold lie balance between Capital and Labour s he has- a record for ameliorative st-ites-fanship unexampled here or in any other ountry.” Despite the backing of these lfluential business men, it seems probable hat the result of the General Election 1 Great Britain this week will see Mr rloyd George with the smallest number f supporters of any of the rival political arties. Tt is generally anticipated that he Conservatives, with Mr Bonar Law t their head, will win the largest number f the 615 seats, and if they are to obtain small working majority this means that t least 325 seats must he secured by Mir 471 candidates. Labour, which has

414 candidates in the field, is confident of winning more than 100 seats, and the Liberals under Mr Asquith, who have put forward 366 candidates, expect to gain 100 odd seats. It is an interesting point as to whether Labour or the Liberals will occupy tile paramount position and be entitled to be called the official opposition. Mr Lloyd George, with only 182 candidates giving him allegiance, is not expected to win more than 50 or 60 seats for his National Liberals. The possibilities of political combination, should this forecast be anything like the actual result, are endless, and the election is not likely to, end the chaos which will probably prevail, and this at a most critical period in the Empire’s domestic and foreign relations.