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The Spike or Victoria University College Review September 1927

Free Discissions Club

Free Discissions Club.

"You may chain down all human rights, but leave the right of speech free, and it will unchain all the others."

Since the last "Spike" appeared, the club has held several meetings. The first was that held on June 25th, when Mr. D. O. Williams enlightened us as to the pros, and cons, of the British Trade Union Bill. The speaker introduced the subject by an historical resume of the Trade Union movement in Great Britain. Up to the year 1825, the movement was more or less secret and under ground. From 1825 to 1850 the movement was in its adolescence and the unions had nothing but the bare right to exist. Then in 1876 came legal recognition; but it was not until the closing years of the century that the unions made any real advance in the matter of securing recognition and power to organise—a recognition and power, however, which was gained only in the teeth of violent opposition from the employers. 1906 saw the passing of the Trades Disputes Act, which became the charter of union liberties, and the entrance of Labour into the field of politics. Then came the war; and out of that chaotic stupidity the unions emerged, profoundly modified, and materially weakened, to embark upon the General Strike in 1926. The speaker went on to trace the causes of disintegration within the unions. He showed that the rank and file were revolting against the political activities of the unions, and against abuses and malpractices within the unions themselves. The revolt expressed itself in a desire on the part of Liberal-Labour for legislation to secure freedom from political bondage. This desire for reform, however, was very different from the page 45 alleged reform which the Conservatives were prepared to force upon the unions. The Trade Union Bill was then dealt with clause by clause, and the conclusion which Mr. Williams reached was that the Bill showed a regrettable blunder in its failure to distinguish between the issue of the general strike and the issue of internal reform for the unions. This confusion would bring to industry not peace, but strife and discontent.

The address was followed by discussions and questions. Those who attended the meeting are grateful to Mr. Williams for the way he so lucidly threw light upon a dark subject.

On July 7th Mr. Stuart Wilson opened a discussion on Problems of Nationality in Post-War Europe. The speaker has travelled extensively on the Continent and was thus abe to enlighten us with first-hand knowledge concerning the after effects upon Europe of the now famous—or infamous?—Versailles Treaty. We went first to Alsace. Here the mass of people—save the educated middle class—is German through and through, and bitterly resents being forcibly converted to French customs and language. Generally speaking, in the territories which the French have taken over since the war, they have shown little wisdom in their dealings with the conquered people and have won neither liking nor respect. From Alsace we went east through Germany to Danzig. Here the speaker touched upon the troubles which have arisen over the Polish Corridor and showed the effect which the constant bickering and rivalry between Poles and Germans has upon the administration of the city of Danzig. There was no apparent desire on the part of the Poles to co-operate with the Germans in any way, and the expulsion of the Germans from conquered territory has meant the decay of the manufacturing towns. Taken by and large the Poles were bad administrators; and the loans which they had successfully raised after the war they spent, not on improving the conditions of their country, but on raising and maintaining a powerful army. Mr. Wilson could hold out little hope for the betterment of conditions so long as the Treaty remained in operation. Danzig, he considered to be faced with economic bankruptcy. In the discussion which followed Mr. Miles directed our attention to the parallel state of affairs existing in Salonika. The solution of the problem as to whether Saloinka should be administered by Turks, Jews or Greeks was the turning of Salonika into a free fort. Mr. Beaglehole sought information in regard to Polish expansion, while Mr. McCormick was similarly interested in the problem of inter-marriage among Poles and Germans. A hearty vote of thanks brought the meeting to a close.

The Future of Woman occupied us on July 21st, when Mr. Miles, by the way he opened the discussion, proved himself a past master of diplomacy. Mr. Miles first impressed upon us the fact that he did not wish to assume the garb of prophet, merely desiring to express what he thought choiceworthy and rational. Taking as a criterion the fact that the race must survive, there were three possibilities to be considered: (1) The majority of women might became wives; (2) the large minority might work or; (3) there was the possibility of temporary unions. The speaker then went on to discuss the effect of the Industrial Revolution upon family organisation and summarised the recent efforts which were being made in Australia and elsewhere to remedy the economic disadvantages of the family by means of Government allowances. His position in regard to woman was essentially this; If there is work to be done, let those who are capable of doing it—man or woman—do it, and let each receive wages in proportion to the amount of work done. In conjunction with this principle, Mr. Miles stressed the fact that any system of organisation or industry in which family life would disappear did not seem to him advantageous either to parents or to children, for it was only through sane and wholesome family life that racial happiness could be obtained.

Miss Plank and Miss Mason raised points in regard to family allowances. Miss Plank later told the meeting frankly that men had made a mess of the world and that the profession of housework did not appeal to all women. Miss Mulholland told us that the family was antiquated, that low wages for women were to be attributed to low economic status, and that the new woman was no longer of a parasitical type. Mr. Beaglehole was apparently totally misunderstood when he entered a plea for a return to marriage on a scientific basis of knowledge, understanding and co-operation. Mr. G. A. Peddie laid down the law as to the place for the unmarried woman, the married woman unsupported by husband, and the married woman supported by husband. Mr. Steele addressed the meeting in a long speech. page 46 We crave the speaker's pardon, however, for being so dense that we failed to gather its import. Mr. McCormick pointed out the value of wives as the inspiration of the arts and policies of great statesmen. Professor Hunter remained us that family allowance systems have this great danger: that the State, which paid for the family, could probably reserve to itself the right to dictate what sort of family should eventuate. He remarked also that it was of little use praising the virtues of family life when few parents had the requisite knowledge and ability to train their children. Furthermore, in regard to the position of women, the solution of the problem was to be found in the liberty of all to fashion their own lives. Mr. Greig summarised for us the lessons we might learn from the discussion. Mr. Miles then replied to some of the questions raised. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to Mr. Miles for his hardihood in opening the discussion.