THE LABOUR QUESTION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2805, 5 July 1890, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE LABOUR QUESTION.

~o (IKO.M Ollt OWN COKKKSI'ON'KKS'T.) I'AKis, April 2. Tjik French delegates to tholnternational Labour Confrienoo have returned to I'aris. They all testify to tho courtesy— in ifret ami markcO, without being inconvenient—everywhere extended to thotn. It would appear that, tho whole "meet" was a big piilaver of tho over-the-wal nuts and wino character, and that nothing new, in the way of humanitarian labour legislation, was brought forward. England wao very business-like. She handed in a summary in English, French and German, of all her legislation, up to date, affecting mines and tho industrial employment of women and children, which were read, as each of these three rubric subjects eamo up for discussion. Mho thus tacitly showed sho had nothing to learn from tho Congress, whilo inviting her example to be imitated. As for a ■weekly day of rest, why she had observed Sunday in that end since centuries The Anglo-Saxon, as usual, heads civilization. Tho I'Yench working classes attached very little importance to tho Conference. Its programme excluded exactly the questions in which they aru most interested—Hamlet, without Hamlet-tho principal being, eight hours maximum of labour for adults. I'ublie opinion is not 1 iue for this levelling idea, while prepared to fiat u distinction between adults working for eight hours ill mines, and eight hours in the open air. The (Jcrinan Socialists have " struck ilo" by the imperial recognition of the sufferings of labour, lint they are not going to allow I.ho gnisi to grow under their feet ;to tho watchword of '• eight hour's work," they intend to add, " war to tho knife to bloated armaments." The Conference having no power to edict laws — to place sull'eriug humanity on a Procrustean bed—it wound up by a catalogue of good wishes. But the latter will no more extinguish Socialism, than good words will exterminate pauperism. The Berlin gathering has made socialism fashionable; it is no longer a pro'ieribed word ; but verbal pity for women, children, and miner.", i;i not the solution of socialism : the latter, daily becoming more powerful and more disciplined, has now obtained at iierlin its letters of naturalisation. It will take a new departuto from next May day. Can it be muzzled ? This was ability!of Bismarck. Will the terrible earnestness of William II be able to beat back tho " flowing tide ?''