THE SOCIALISTIC CRUSADE.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 13016, 2 July 1906, Page 5

THE SOCIALISTIC CRUSADE.

MR TREGEAR'S LETTER. EMPLOYERS TAKE A STAND. Per Press Association. ' PUNEDIN, July 1. The secretary of the Employers' Federation, instructed by.the Advisory Board, has written to. the Hon. W. Hall-Jones drawing his attention as Minister of Labour to a letter recently published which is.a, copy of one written by Mr Tregear, secretary for labour, and addressed to Mr Benson- in America, in which the writer claims to be the leader of the Socialistic crusade against the employers of the : colony., the employers being characterised 1 as " robbers," and the workers as " their victims." . The letter , further states—"We have

barely touched the fringe of the soiled, economic garment. So long as the wage system' endures, so long as capital holds the land, machinery, and other means of production, so long is the bulk of our population only a collection of well-fed, well-clothed slaves." The Board is aware that Mr Tregear, while publicly admitting the authorship, claims it to be privileged, owing to its being a private letter addressed to a friend. With this aspect of the question employers are not concerned. They are concerned however, to know that the responsible head of the Department, one of the most important in the Public Service, holds the views therein expressed, and publicly acknowledged. The Federation as a body is strongly of opinion that a person holding such views is totally unfitted to hold, so responsible a position as secretary for labour. The position, in a their opinion, calls for strict impartiality, tact, judgment and sound, common sense, >and the holder should be one who possesses the entire - confidence of all parties. In the light of the : views expressed in the letter and the lines laid down as to Mr Tregear's future course of action., the employers of the colony feel that they are entitled to some consideration, in the ma£ ter, x and that under the circumstances tJiey are justified, in demanding Mr Tregear'ii removal front iris present position. .