BLUNDERING UNION TACTICS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12392, 13 December 1909, Page 5

BLUNDERING UNION TACTICS.

REACTION AGAINST STRIKERS. (From the " N.Z. Herald.") SYDNEY, December 4. The New South Wales coal.strike, as has been shown, was in the larger Labour aspect a mistake from the beginning. What is most-important to Labour is, not to succeed in imposing the conditions of comparatively few employees upon a few employers in one district, in one trade; but to establish such an influence upon Parliamentary government as will direct the whole course of legislation in conformity with the Labour platform. By dint of careful organisation, extending over a long series of years, this object had in some measure been attained. The Labour Party is no negligible- minority in the Federal Parliament. It has held Ministerial office, aiid when not in office it has been time and again successful in imposing its will upon the ilominant party. The term of the existing Parliament has all but expired, j The election of a new -Federal Parlia- j inent will take place early next year; j and in this new Parliament- the Labour party had a chance of gaining a majority in the Senate. It had a good chance of improving its position both iv. the Senate and the House of Representatives. All that was needed was to gain the confidence of wavering voters by a policy of peace and moderation. The lesson of the Fisher Government required to be pressed home; that the country, could really trust the Labour party!" Then the democratic instinct of Australians -might have been relied on to bring the party warm'support from classes outside its own organisation. THE STRIKE AND THE PARTY. The Newcastle strike has upset the tactics based upon these conclusions. ! The longer it lasts the further it extends, the more certain becomes the prospect of Labour defeat at the Federal polls. The Deakin-Cook coalition has found the war.cry necessary to join its disunited forces. Labour in revolt! The ' country in danger! Its enemy seems likely to be delivered into its hands. And, in the widest aspect, the cost or even a general strike" .might not appear too high a price to pay for three years of settled and sober government. The worst foes of a labour party are always those of its own householdThere is a natural conflict between the long-sighted strategy which the politically educated leaders desire to adopt, and the short-sighted means which the followers seek from day to day for redress of local or personal grievances. And the constitution of Jthja party is such that half the time the followers are in command, and the leaders only rule on sufferance by pandering to the prejudices of the troops they are supposed to control. For a conscientious man, the worsb post •in the world is that of leader of Labour party. It was his final recognition of the fact that drovo Mr Watson from politics. Mr Fisher has a thicker skin, but it has commenced to chafe. Either he must take a, course which he disapproves of, or he must see his influence and authority disappear by degrees. One way or the other, the leader, is sacrificed to the mob. The only alternative is to make a cynical best of things, like the* Labour party in the New South Wales Parliament —to take what politics offer, shout with the crowd, and do nothing. i ..The ,Labour party leaders strongly disapprove of Mr Peter Bowling. But he gives tongue to a Labour grievance, | and the bulk of union sentiment goes with him. The unions see only what is under their., noses.