THE WATERSIDERS AND THE JAPANESE CRISIS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20851, 6 October 1937, Page 5

THE WATERSIDERS AND THE JAPANESE CRISIS

To the Editor of " The Timaru Herald.” Sir,—Your article entitled “The Watersiders and the Japanese Crisis” is devoid of constructive thought. At I a time when thousands of human beings are being ruthlessly slaughtered in China you have the temerity to stigmatise the attitude of the waterside workers towards Japanese shipping as "hasty” and tell us that it “will meet with widespread disapproval.” Then after quoting the view-points of importers and exporters you proceed to dogmatise; you tell us, “In the first place the right of the watersider to take the law into his own hand will not be conceded by anyone.” Proceeding you affirm. “Before any decision is made to show this country’s disapproval of Japan's callous policy in the Orient the Government of New Zealand must take the lead.” But you must realise that the Government cannot give a lead and hence it is futile to suggest awaiting Government action. Finally you conclude by telling us that “New Zealand . . . must walk with the utmost caution, and should really be guided in making a decision ... by the considered decision, based on traditional sagacity in hours of crisis, of the Imperial Government.” In answer to this last I recall a statement made some months ago by a very reputable citizen in New Zealand to the effect that if the people of New Zealand were thoroughly conversant with the foreign policy of the British Government then we would hang our heads in shame. The issue in China is one of Imperialism v. Democracy, and, not withstanding enormous destruction to British capital and Empire trade generally, the Imperial Government stands idly by while Japanese Imperialism essays the grim and ruthless task of crushing the rising forces of proletarian democracy in China. To anticipate effective lead from the Imperial Government in a protest against “Japan’s callous policy” convicts you of a lamentable lack of knowledge of the attitude of the British Government towards proletarian democratic issues both within the British Empire and in foreign countries. In opposition to your views let me affirm that the waterside workers are exercising the most powerful lead: when the workers of all countries are conscious of their power and influence then only will war cease to menace human-kind. To that end the action of the waterside workers Is an important contribution: true—they may be forced to compromise but such compromise will be less a discredit to them than to public opinion in New Zealand. It was recently said in New Zealand, “Few people think after they have reached their teens.” The learned gentleman who made this statement might have gone further and commented truthfully that it was never desired that the people should think: particularly is this so in the sphei A of foreign relations and foreign politics and the action of the waterside workers will stimulate healthy enquiry and study of one of the big problems confronting mankind —how to prevent war.

Remember, too, that several ideas once regarded as “unconstitutional” are now quite “constitutional.” The workers who espoused those ideas had “no right” but they exercised the allimportant, democratic right of their class to protest against much that was morally ard politically as well as economically bad. These pioneers suffered in a long struggle to gain legal recognition for their reforms and we look back upon their efforts and sacrifices with approval and admira-

tion. It may come to pass that posterity will also look back on the courage and sacrifice of our watersider workers in Auckland and other main ports as the pioneer efforts of New Zealand’s workers to join with the workers of other countries to put an end to war, and their approval will effectively outweigh any “widespread disapproval” likely to be expressed on the present occasion.—l am, etc., OWEN J. F. McKEE.

Timaru. September 2. (Manifestly our correspondent has overlooked the pronouncement of the Prime Minister that “There is only one body in a position of authority in New Zealand, and that is the Government. We are not,” added Mr Savage, “going to have five or six different organisations standing up and telling us with which countries we are going to trade.” —Editor of “The Timaru Herald”).