662 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION F. 



judge from their utterances, are quite willing to abolish 

 capital by absorbing it. 



We have not forgotten the dockers' strike in London, nor 

 the wave of pity and help that swept over all classes in 

 Australia at the realisation that the dockers were men who 

 had a grievance, and one that called for swift remedy. 



The recent strike of London omnibus-men for the right to 

 a little more leisure than was absolutely necessary for food 

 and sleep has reminded us that much has yet to be done 

 before the friends of labour in the older countries may abate 

 their diligence ; but, at least, the tide has turned ; and 

 although for centuries the attitude of capital towards labour 

 was harsh, and even ferocious, the slow growth of time has 

 so changed that attitude that little remains of it but the 

 memory. True, the memory is still strong enough to embitter 

 the relations betweeu the two ; but, if in early days the 

 masters sowed seeds of violence and oppression that brought 

 forth a plentiful crop of hatred and retaliation, they are now 

 doing their best to root up the ill weeds, and to rear plants 

 of forbearance and helpfulness that shall yet grow to a 

 harvest of peace and goodwill. 



The condition of the working classes in Australia is immea- 

 surably better than that of their fellows in the old lands. 

 In this new and free country, subject, of course, to fluctua- 

 tions such as affect all trades and all conditions at times, 

 men have been able to obtain a fair wage for a fair day's 

 work. In Australia, therefore, all that mass of past legisla- 

 tion, whereby capital sought to coerce labour may well be 

 forgotten ; and the workers may well consider capital from a 

 newer and more liberal standpoint than is possible to the 

 toilers who live where the effects of the past mistakes remain 

 as a poisonous leaven to infuse bitterness into the bread of 

 labour. 



It is not easy, unless we adopt a theory imputed to Prince 

 Bismarck, to account for the attitude of labour towards 

 capital in this new land. 



" Workmen," he says, " are insatiable in their demands. 

 It is no use attempting to solve the labour question by listen- 

 ing to them, and striving to satisfy them, because God has 

 not implanted in them the faculty of contentment." 



It needs no proof but mere mention of the late maritime 

 strike in Australia, or the present shearers' strike in Queens- 

 land, which is witness enough of the spirit animating labour, 

 to show that its attitude towards capital is of the same 



