The Daily News WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1930. WHY WORK?

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1930, Page 6

The Daily News WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1930. WHY WORK?

Some idea of what would happen should the Communist Partysecure. the reins of Government throughout-the world may' be gleaned from the ‘‘plans for mobilising ■ unemployed’ ’ promulgated at. Melbourne by that party 'under the guise Of an unemployed workers ’ movement. In the first place it is proposed to establish a defence ,’porps, and hold mass meetings, to serve the purpose of demonstrations, in all districts.. That the promoters have an attractive programme to lay before the. proletariat is bpyon d dispute, and it need be if. success is to crown their efforts. What they mainly propose is that the Government shall guarantee every z ’worker —irrespective • of sex, race or colour —a job at a living wage; that a seven-hour day and a five-day week must be established in every industry—without reduction of wages; that free lunches be provided for all school children; that. the. workers, be given ( the right to strike and picket; that the use of the police against strikers be abolished, as well as against unemployed and working class demonstrations. If not' already formulated, there ought to be. a general omnibus clause to the effect /that .in .all matters which in any way affect the workers or their dependents they shall be given a free hand to do as they , please. Could any other solution of the unemployed problem be so thorough or sb well designed to create a new era of contentment and bliss for Communist gentlemen who, when granted all their demands, might be pleased to oblige.:—in their own way and, at their own convenience—by performing . such services as met with their approval? What could be more, charitable than their espousal o'f the claims of equality for both sexes, and the guarantee for all races and all colours of humanity of “a job at a living wage,” presumably on an equal basis. Provided the programme were permanent it Would not matter a flip of the finger if the white people were outworked by the coloured races, for they would continue to be paid the living wage whether employed or not. Therefore, why work? ■ The free lunches for school children should fit into the scheme far more effectively than at first sight might appear, for they.would be assured of -one good meal a day, except on Saturday, hence there would be so much more money to be spent by the parents, and as there would be more idle time to be filled in, owing to the seven-hour day and five-day week, the qutgoings for recreation, amusement and other fancies would naturally be largely increased, especially if jobs and pay were provided for both husbands and wives. All such schemes can only be made complete as the result of experience, and there must obviously be constant alterations made as new developments take place. Tor instance, what would happen under the present scheme outlined by the Communists at Melbourne if the wives went on strike against their husbands, police interference being barred? Above all, what would be the position of the rest of the community in times of strikes and lawlessness if the police were rendered powerless? That is one of the serious matters Which anti-Communists have to deal with. It may appear to be a most worthy aim to promote peace, goodwill and contentment amongst all classes, creeds and races, but not at the expense of injury to the larger number in order to placate the malcontents. Where is all the money to come from to support such a scheme as that on which these comments are

founded? If the Communists are’ eager to live a life of ease and freedom from restraint they should work hard, be thrifty and co-operate in. obtaining a suitable island where they could carry out their ideas without let or hindrance. On the other hand, if they propose to further the .Moscow world revolution aims by means of the methods outlined at Melbourne, then to be forewarned is ito be forearmed. The time has arrived when it behoves all upholders of law, order and all round justice to give no quarter to movements designed to favour mob law- When every effort is being made to overcome a worldwide depression by such means and sacrifices as will help to win through, it, is certainly not the time to listen to Communist plans, except to imbue the rest of the world with the imperative ’necessity of active opposition to them. That is the only reasonable answer to the query, “Why Work?”