ADVICE TO MINERS

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14409, 21 May 1917, Page 3

ADVICE TO MINERS

SYNDICALISM AND WAR

AUCKLAND, May 12. Some comments on the attitude of the coal miners in the recent strikes were made by -Mr F, V. Frazer, S.M., xT lxei w Biviug * judgment against the Waikato miners who" had pleaded guilty to, "going slow." "'I do not suppose/ said Mr Fraser "that the men would object to being, called syndicalists, and their methods have certainly been more akin to syndicalism than to any other form of labour organisation, and they .may think that they have- just' acted, in accordance with its recognised rules, i hate turned no half a dozen- recent books on syndicalism, and more es-^ pecially on the attitude of syndicalism towards wax.. It iias been declared that labour -is international and that patriotism is a gross mistake. Authoritative writers, however, now laystress on national patriotism as Jendllig Co Dium up ii.ll.ci i.icn.ivlla.l lu,u . National patriotism is regarded as necessary because nations are regarded as the pillars upon which the international structure must be built. Gemn any has "tried to destroy those pillars, for the independence of nations, which, she has attacked, is the best guarantee of the future of labour. A good syndicalist should realise our parr, in the war is dependent on principles which he ought to hold sacred."

Going on to deal with the so-called "class-war," JMr Prazer quoted a statement from "The- World of Labour" (Cole). "There are proper times for social truce." If this were so, added Mr Irazer, surely war-time was a time for truce. Ib was more'lately held that so far from being regarded a s a war, the relation between Capital and Labour should.;-_be viewed as a -competit] on, in which each side had "principles whidi its adversary might to respect. Even a writer had said "Let us nght the class war like'men; lot us not use poisoned weapons; let us.play the game." 'Labour had no right to use a national emergency as a lever to secure its demands, even if thoso demands were quite legitimate.

"I hope," said.Mr Frazer, in conclusion, "that my words will be weighed by the miners, as coming from one who has taken no side on the economic question. I have also quoted from meu qu'alffied to speak on the syndicalist movement. The points T have raised are worth considering, and I will leave it at that."