The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1920-09-02

AND almost every farmer was armed
with an American aX handle. 1t had
been voted not tn use firearms. One
farmer suggested that an American az
handle would just about fit the situa-
ton, and his suggestion took like fire.
The stores We're cleaned out of AK
handles in no time.
The sudden appearance of ten thou
sand sturdy men, part of them mount
ed, and all armed with IL good strong
ak handle had an immediut, soothing
effect upon the Wild enthusiasm Of the
strike breakers.
Many of the farmers went to work
at once while others did patrol duty.
The ships were loaded and others un-
loaded. In ten hours the strike was
completely broken, SO far as the ship
ping business vas concerned.
During the forenoon the strikers
sought to play their l. w. W. tactics
upon the farmers, and here is where
the American ax handles came in
mighty handy. AN AK handle in the
hands OF Il powerful farmer who is
used to handling such IL weapon
proved o effective against an l. w.
w. head and the ak handle won. In
the hands of the men who knew how
to WELD them they drove terror into
the hearts OF the l w. w. %terrorists.
Within f%orty-eight hours business on
the streets had resumed its normal
way. Many of the strikers when they
saw that the farmers meant business
went to work under the direction of
the farmers union official. Some of
them quit the United Labor Party
(the !. W. W. unions and formed new
unions, organized under che laws of
the country.
Great Losses,
The estimated losses of this great
strike were $5,0O0.0U The New Zea-
land government appropriated $5OO,OO
to meet the expenses of this trouble,
so, Walter Thomas Mills proved pretty
expensive to New Zealand as he is and
will be to the farmers OF North Da-
kOta.
This was the first real s%ynd;calist
strike that New Zealand had ever had,
and New Zealand had been known far
ana Wide as, "a country without
strikes" 1t was an 1. w. w. strike
pure and simple and the l. W. w. ele-
ment lost.
..,
Where Walter Thomas Mills Comes In.
Closely associated with this great
Syndlcllist strike We're the activities
of n Walter Thomas Mills who had
come to Australia from Milwaukee.
He was known in Australia as Prof
Mills, but he said himself that the
title was merely Honorary"
He had been delivering lectures in
Australia on Socialism for which he is
reported to have received large tinan-
clal rewards. He had by his speeches
attracted the attention of Edgar Ire
gear of Wellington, New Zealand, who
was at the time prominently connect
ed with the government labor bureau
ana who is said to be the author of
most OF the radical legislation. Now
Mr.. Tregear believed the time had
come to build u more radical Socialist
labor party in New Zealand. so lie
invited Walter Thomas Mills to come
II help him. 1t w;lS these two men
who had drafted the constitution and
bylaws Of the United Labor Party
some two or three years before tlis
great strike. The new party had Il
most rapid growth. 1t w;,S intended
to Supplant the old craft unions just
as the |. w. w. in this country was
organized to do. The new party sue
ceeded in gaining 10000 members out
of some 10000 that mad formerly be-
lOnged TO the Federation of Labor Ut
New Zeulund.