THE CLUBMAN.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1143, 7 March 1912, Page 6

THE CLUBMAN.

Syndicalism and General . Strike mean much the same thing. Neither stands for anything very original. The idea of both, reduced to plain words, means a system for terrorising employers of labour and the coercion of honest workmen from their toil so as to paralyse the industrial and commercial welfare of the whole community for the personal aggrandisement of a coterie of irresponsible agitators.

Auckland had a taste of this a few months ago when the municipal workmen were ordered out on strike by the executive of the Federation of Laboui' because a contractor dared to sub-let a contract to some of his workmen. In other words, permitted piece-work to be introduced on the drainage works. On that occasion the City Council did not as much as receive a protest from the strikers before they "put on their coats.” As soon as the civic authorities became apprised of the cause of the strike they met their contractors and immediately agreed to abandon the subcontracts and have the work carried out by day labour only.

The workmen were satisfied, but the agitators—no. They wanted more limelight, and the daily press pandered to them. The consequence was the men w’ere not allowed to take up their tools again; in fact, suburban borough labourers were also called out. The next demand made was that the city and suburban councils should agree to insert in all future contracts a clause prohibiting contractors from adopting a system of piece-work. The whole thing was so farcical and unreasonable to a degree. Still the strike continued for a few days longer while the daily papers gave columns to the flamboyant and hare-brained babblings of the paid agitators who had fermented the trouble. In the end the labourers saw how untenable their position was, and the strike fizzled out.

Now we are face to face with another strike. The same band of agitators are again trying to arouse the employees of local bodies to strike. Doubtless they feel piqued at their previous failure and are annoyed because Mayor Parr and his councillors will not meet them in conference. The civic authorities had a fair sample of the lack of principle possessed by these same agitators last October, and are not now prepared to have any truck with them. Why should they? There is no good or logical reason why the civic administrators or any other employer of labour should delegate their powers, and even their right, ro deal with their employees to a set of firebrands, whose only mission in life appears to be to spread dissention and arouse discord between employer and employee.

Realising that the municipal workmen had a legitimate grievance, the

Mayor decided to treat directly with them and as a consequence the city Council have, after a careful review of the whole matter, decided on a new scale of wages for their employees which mean an all-round rise and places the municipal workmen of Auckland on a better footing than the employees of any other local body in the Dominion. Naturally this is very distasteful to the paid agitators, who hoped to gain kudos out of a strike, but the workmen will doubtless realise that the City Council are better and truer friends to them than are the men who are trying to coerce them into a fruitless strike that could have no other effect than to alienate public sympathy against the strikers and also bring nothing but hardship on their families and dependants.

It is most regrettable that the "Star” should have seen fit, while condemning the agitators in its leading columns, to throw open the rest of the paper to fomenting trouble by giving full reports of the flamboyant utterances of self-styled labour leaders. Here are a few of tne epithets these irresponsible "gassers” were responsible for at the Opera House on Sunday. "If our endeavours fail (to bring the City Council to their knees) then off come the gloves, and once we do that —well, we shall show no mercy. We will ask no mercy, and we will give no mercy. We will fight as only class conscious workers can fight.” Spoken in a truly conciliatory spirit, surely! Another sample: “The employers are now taking up the position that the workers either have to sink their manhood or see their children starve.” A fine sentiment, but what a deliberate travesty of the true position! The employers have niet

the real workers liberally, and rightly _ scorned the interference of the agi-' tators!

“To Hades with the dignity of the Mayor.” Most dignified! “All through the ages the middle class has crucified the working class.” This might be aptly paraphased to read "All through this trouble the agitator has tried to crucify the friends of the workers.” As a last example of the way the leaders!?) are endeavouring to encourage better feeling we quote: “The workers were all of that class known to the employers as ‘the great unwashed.’ All the same I have no hesitation in saying that personally my hide is just as clean as Mr. Parr’s, and my conscience probably cleaner.” Just what one gentleman would say of another!

Just fancy a paper 'such as the “Star” retailing day after day tirades of this nature, and giving ihe irresponsible speakers unlimited space to keep up a fusillade of this character. Does the “Star” really want a strike? Surely we are not descending to the low level of Yankee yellow journalism, where an old established newspaper must needs grovel at the feet of hirelings to provide “copy” to keep its columns full.

At present New Zealand is being administered by an Executive Council in which the electors have declared they have no confidence. Indeed, the position is one without precedent in the history of constitutional government. At the recent general election the people of the country returned a majority of members pledged to oust the present administration. The Prime Minister admitted as much himself, and declared that whatever the result

of the No-confidence motion he would

resign his position, and if his party secured a majority he would leave it to the party to reconstruct the Cabinet.

Two members broke their pledges to their electors and voted against the No-confidence motion of the Leader of the Opposition and thus, on the casting vote of the Speaker, the Ministry secured a negative victory and prorogued Parliament. It is quite certain the present Ministry has neither the confidence of the country, nor even the confidence of the Ministerial party. Still they retain the reins of Government. Consequently there are vague rumours of reconstruction; but there is no leader who can form a Ministry to secure a majority in the House. What a hopeless position!

Meanwhile as the ship of State is drifting rudderless about industrial strife is creating a sea of trouble from one end of the country to the other. The whole political situation is fraught with the greatest difficulty, and the country is being allowed to drift into a sea beset with rocks and shoals. Have we not a leader in the land who can rise to the occasion—rise above the low ebb of party politics —and form a Business Government capable of steering a straight course out of the hapless position into which the administration has drifted. If no such leader exists the Governox r should at once order a dissolution and allow the electors to send back a party strong enough to carry on the Government of the country. There is no doubt if the electors were given another opportunity and a clean cut issue was put before them their reply would be effective. The next eleoJ ’on would not be overshadowed by any licensing questions, which clouded over the last general election.

John Paynd, showman -and Member of Parliament—the two vocations are practically synonymous—has returned from his first session of Parliament, convinced that politics is not a polite occupation for quick-change artistes. He now sings: The politician’s views! are grim; Oh, world of strife! Most everybody seems to him To have a knife. * * * * This is indeed a pessimistic world we live in, but here is a glad verse to cheer us on:— Nothing to breathe but air; Nothing to eat but-food; Nothing to wear but clothes, To keep us from going nude; Nowhere to go but out, Nowhere to come but back! a: «s “ When Cupid hits the mark he usually Mrs. it