Page:"Red"·Fed·Memoirs-Hickey-1925.pdf/76



Congress had not been long in session before it was seen that there was an element present that was not prepared to accept the Unity Committee’s recommendations or, so far as one could judge, were prepared to agree to any other basis than one of such an innocuous type as to be utterly useless to the working-class.

This element fought hard and for a time looked likely to stonewall Congress and prevent anything being done. Perhaps with a less-experienced chairman they might have succeeded, but as soon as it became evident that organised obstruction was threatened the chairman handled the obstructionists until they were as helpless as babes.

As was to be expected, there were some withdrawals from Congress, among them being Mr. Geo. Fowlds, of Auckland, whose single-tax susceptibilities were upset through some reference to the class war. Mr. D. McLaren also found the atmosphere too militant for his sensitive soul, and withdrew later to find a job as handy man with the “Welfare League.” When Conference rose, Mr. McLaren, financed from some mysterious source, toured N.Z. addressing meetings in opposition to the U.F.L. and S.D.P., but even in those days his bona fides were doubted, and he received but scant consideration from the unions. Mr. Withy with other single-taxers followed in the footsteps of their chief, with the railwaymen’s delegates in close attendance.

Congress, having survived the loss of these elements, continued with the work of unity, and although at times feeling ran high and exchanges became pointed, every decision arrived at made for progress.