WELFARE LEAGUE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12688, 9 July 1919, Page 6

WELFARE LEAGUE.

CONFERENCE OPENED

[Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, July 9

A conference of , delegates from the newly formed Welfare League was opened to-day. Mr C. P. Skerrett presided. In welcoming the delegates he said that at a preliminary conference, held in Wellington, it was found that there was a, great body of men who felt it was time that action was taken to curb the activities of extreme and revolutionary Labour.

In his address Mr Skerrett said that the organisation 'had come none too soon; in fact, it had been needed for many years. For years past a considerable section of the community, what he termed the “ plain men,” ” had been practically unrepresented, because they had no unity, no organisation and no common voice. The blame was largely their own. No section of the community could obtain its own weight in the councils of the nation unless it was organised, and the league aspired to Unite all disinterested and moderate, sane and responsible thought. A crisis had arrived, when these men must take their part in the politics ’of the country.

Mr Skerrett. continuing, dealt with the great strides made by tho Labour Party in New Zealand and said unfortunately Labour had been captured by leaders with extremist and revolutionary view’s. The country had come i<> a parting of tho ways. They must either stand by supinely and see their rights threatened and their property imperilled and the Government of the country placed in unworthy hands, or they must stand shoulder to shoulder with the league. The crisis was emphasised by the purposes and aims of the socalled Labour Party. No sane man could have any objection to combinations of Labour for the purpose of safeguarding their rights and interests, or even to promote their legislative interests, but the ambition of trades Unions had long vaulted past that. Trade unionism as it was organised by the Labour Party and existed in New Zealand was in command of the situation, and was able to defy, and was defying, the laws of the country. Not content with direct action they,now sought to control the whole civic 'and political administrations of the country and were running members for city and borough .councils and Parliament with the object *of govern!n <r tho Dominion by one class in the interests ol one class. Over and over again their most prominent leaders had announced approval of the activities of the I.'W.W. doctrines and Bolshevism and of the Belgn of Terror in Russia, and he asked ; — 11 Are vou prepared to entrust the Government of the country to such hands as these?” He referred to the Labour Party’s manifesto that the peace terms imposed on Germany were too severe, and ridiculed the idea that the men who issued it were in a position to judge what should he done with the Germans.