xl 



The Review of Reviews. 



March. igi2. 



liifii care? If any of these things were, one would 

 almost pardon the holding-up of a city that callously 

 allowed these things to be. But on none of these 

 permissible grounds did the tramway men come out, 

 accept the sympathy of the other forty-three unions 

 who came out on strike, and endeavour to embroil 

 the industrial world of Australia. The excuse was 

 that unionist.s were not allowed to wear, during- the 

 time thev wore uniform, badges that indicated they 

 I«longed to unions. 



It seems paltry, good reader, and 

 is paltry. The reason the men give 

 IS that they may know one an- 

 other, and talk on union mat- 

 uniform. The real reason is to 



False 

 Premises. 



ters wliiltj in 



.strengthen unioni.^m, and make non-unionism ap- 

 pear apart, and ant of court. It is an unrea- 

 sonable demand to make in any case.. The 

 men during their work time may reasonably be 

 t-xpected to give their whole time and attention 

 to it, and to do nothing likely to create distinctions 

 between the men. Undoubtedly the wearing of 

 badges tends to this. It is not for the convenience 

 of the public, nor for the better conduct of their 

 business, but --imiilv a pri\-ate matter for which 

 naturallv the company has no concern. The men 

 ha\'e a right to form unions, but to use their posi- 

 tions to help their unions on is a matter which the 

 Tramwav Companv has the right to object to. 

 especially as unionism gives no sign of being at all 

 keen in looking after employers' interests, but re- 

 garding them .1^ natural enemies. 



Of course the real reason i.s the ar- 

 Gettinj; at rogance of unionism, which desires 

 the Cause. j^ |.j^p roughshod over industrial- 

 ism. Its aim is to make the union 

 the fieginning and the end of employment. It seeks 

 to compel those outside to join its ranks, and the 

 wearing of a badge is a means to that end. " Smash 

 him up, or let him join the union," was the gospel 

 of the Harvester strike. And everywhere it is the 

 same. Unionism has a right to be, but it is just 

 at the point of dominance and arrogance that the 

 parting of the ways comes. And while blatant 

 unionism assumes that attitude, <^iployers are 

 driven to say. " We do not ask what your opinions 

 about unioni.sm are ; all we want to know is. can 

 you do viiur work salisfactorilv." On that particular 

 part of the field of industrialism the battle is going 

 to be fought out. .Shall an emyiloyer regard mem- 

 bership of a union before fitness. That is what the 

 question is narrowed I'.own to. 



From all appearances the employers 



The Employers' are going to fight this question. 



Stand. Tiicy have .so far decided that they 



know not a man's colour, making 



efficiency the Duly test. And it is to lie hoped that 



IMeJhourne " Vunch^'' 

 'PLE.VSBD ! 

 (Mr. Fisher says he is quite pleased with the way the 

 men ha\'e behaved during the Brisbane tram strike. . . . 

 He refuses to sanction the employment of the military 

 to keep order.)' 



Prime Minister Fisher (to the Queensland Premier): '■Sol- 

 diers! Bless my soul, what do you want with soldiers? 

 Why obtrude the symbols of strife upon this peaceful 



they will sit liown iiard on their deci^ii^n. It hnks as 

 though they were going to, for they declined to meet 

 the men in conference the other day. The leaders 

 wrote to the employers' association a.sking for a con- 

 fab that the question of resuming of work might 

 be discus.sed. This was really the last move of 

 defeat. The men are going back to work fast, and 

 it was a ruse to save the situation, if possible. It 

 was no wonder the employers refused. The re- 

 quest was in keeping with the arrogance of the 

 strike, the arrogance of the permits, the arrogance 

 of the insistence of the tramway men that they 

 should be allowed to wear private badges that would 

 make division in tlie ranks. The only thing for 

 men to do who are manifestly wrong is to make 

 amends. That is the only way to set the situation 

 right with dignity. But the employers are refusing 

 to take the men l>ack on any conditions save tho.se of 

 1.1 ir wages and conditions of work. 



