Page 4 Advertisements Column 5

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2008, 18 February 1907, Page 4

THE POLES AND POLAND. COMPARISON OF LABOR CONDITIONS. Among tho Sonoma’s passongors from Sydnoy last woolc was Mr Adam Morawski, who is on a tour through tho Australasian colonies and tho United States of Amorica as correspondent of the “Prawda,” a Warsaw scientific and sociological journal. Mr Morawski’s main object is the gathering of information concerning our progressive democratic legislation, and its practical effects, for at tho present juncture any litoruturo dealing with legislation for tho people and hy tho people is avidly read by tho Polish nation. Australasia is to the mass of the people in Russia and Poland a terra incognita, and to obtain any reliable information concerning it is noxt to impossible, unless special means are taken, and even then tho publishing of that information may result in tho arrest and imprisonment of the ‘ ‘roductour ,’ ’ or working editor, and suppression of that paper that prints the obnoxious matter. Tile Polish press, however is enterprising, and not to bo dis l couraged by such little misadvonturoL as occasional “stampings Hat” by the paternal government! of tho White Czar, and the lining and incarceration of its literary chiefs. Nows paper men are a proverbially hold breed the world over, and in Poland they are, perhaps, a little more so. So that a journal that has nourished under one name to-day, may blossom forth under an entirely different cognomen to-morrow; and while its quondam “redactour” is being hauled along to do time in a State prison for his temerity in the matter of corrupting public opinion, his successor is alroady making himself as comfortable as may bo in his still ivarm chair. There are no lack of ivorking editors in Poland, and as there is also no Press censorship, a paper and its “redactour” may, with luck, have quite an extensive career before a difference of opinion with tho authorities drives tho journal to the impropriety of another alias. 3ne journal with which Mr Morawski ivas associated assumed nine different names in as many weeks. It should be remarked, however, that the “Prawda” is regarded by tho Gov3rnmeni: as a distinctly respectable and sale paper, notwithstanding its scientific researches, a fact which must be a source of great consolation t'o its “redactour.” When Mr Morawski loit Poland, [our months ago, matters there were in a somewhat chaotic state, so far as tho Government were concerned, to-day tho people might bo in a practical state of freedom, and everyone beginning to talk with renewed hope of the long deferred realisation of administrative reforms, when trouble at headquarters would prcci pitato another regime of bureaucratic repression, and severities would bo laid upon the populace that wore reniiuisceut of tho evil days of tho still well-remembered past. The Government wore in such a state of nervous panic that they wore ono day prepared to grant almost anything the Socialist and Nationalist parties demanded, and the next intent upon the most desperate repression. The ono thing now required to turn the scale for over against the old state of bureaucratic tyranny was funds, and, unfortunately, the essential almost entirely lacking. But it was recognised by all the intellectual leaders of the Russian Empire that the present tottering edifice must crash to ruins so soon as that money was in tho hands of tho Tsatioualist and reform party. Throughout the country there was now op© almost united cry as regarded administration —a federated Russian Empire and provincial autonomy. The Poles, who but a few years ago were bitterly hostile to any suggestion save a reunited and absolutely independent Poland, wore now convinced of the generous attitude of tho Russian reform party—now embracing nearly tho whole intellectual community of the country—and were equally ready with their follow-subjects to become a unit in a scheme of federation. There were still of course, large numbers of dreamers who saw Warsaw once again tho capital of a united Poland; but this, although it might be a feasible anticipation were the Austrian provinces the only ones to be taken into consideration, was regarded by tho deepest thinkers as placed almost beyond possibility in view of the situation in German Poland—for it was recognised that all or nothing was the only hope of an entirely free Poland. With regard to tho other and really more practical olFort for improvement, the Polish party was, as a matter of fact, moro temperate now in its aspirations than the Russian reformers. Another great drawback to anything liko perfect realisation of popular government at tho present time was the illiteracy that still prevailed among the mass of tho people. Every effort was being made by the Socialist party to spread education, but the determined efforts of tlio_ State to suppress any such “pernicious” influence had been so tar successful that upwards of 80 per cent, of the entire population was still utterly illiterate. “Groat hopes are entertained, ” says Mr Morawski, “in connection with the now ‘Douma,’ but it would bo vain t’o predict what definite results it will achieve. The moment lives only in the moment; tho firmest hope is transitory, and tho promise of to-day may be consigned to oblivion to-morrow.” A comparison of the labor conditions in Poland and this part of the world will be interesting. It shows that while tho hours of factory operatives aro not much longer than those in these colonies —nine hours a day as against our eight, without, howover, 0 tho weekly half-holiday—the scale of pay ranges from about 2s to Is a day for a similar class of work that commands hero from 80s to 50s per week. Tho concessions that have been obtained in Poland by this worker, it will thus ho seen, have been mostly in tho direction of reduced working hours, and in that respect it is worthy of notice that such concessions have not been gained through any intervention of the State, but privately as between employers and employees by means of unionism. The agricultural laborer in Poland is still perforce content to work about sixteen hours a day, for a remuneration equivalent to from 6d to Is, which moans that ho and liis familj' do not "get them to rest” overmuch “crammed” with distressful bread.” The labor market with regard to the intellectual occupations is similar in Poland to that of other countries—somewhat overstocked, and happy is the clerk or other worker of middle class respectability who earns for the support of himself and those dependant on him so much as 25s or 80s a week. It. is natural, tliereforo, that our Polish visitor should regard these British colonies as “abodes of the blest” from a. labor and political point of view, and tho legislation that has conduced to such a desirable consummation the mark absolute of exceeding excellence.

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