You can see how the State looks after me.'
A little later I had occasion to go through a great and beautiful city
between six and seven of a crisp morning. Milk and fish, vegetables,
etc., were being delivered to the silent houses by Chinese and Japanese.
Not a single white man was visible on that chilly job.
Later still a man came to see me, without too publicly giving his name.
He was in a small way of business, and told me (others had said much the
same thing) that if I gave him away his business would suffer. He talked
for half an hour on end.
'Am I to understand, then,' I said, 'that what you call Labour
absolutely dominates this part of the world?'
He nodded.
'That it is difficult to get skilled labour into here?'
'Difficult? My God, if I want to get an extra hand for my business - I
pay Union wages, of course - I have to arrange to get him here secretly.
I have to go out and meet him, accidental-like, down the line, and if
the Unions find out that he is coming, they, like as not, order him back
East, or turn him down across the Border.'
'Even if he has his Union ticket? Why?'
'They'll tell him that labour conditions are not good here. He knows
what that means. He'll turn back quick enough. I'm in a small way of
business, and I can't afford to take any chances fighting the Unions.'
'What would happen if you did?'
'D'you know what's happening across the Border? Men get blown up
there - with dynamite.'
'But this isn't across the Border?'
'It's a damn-sight too near to be pleasant. And witnesses get blown up,
too. You see, the Labour situation ain't run from our side the line.
It's worked from down under. You may have noticed men were rather
careful when they talked about it?'
'Yes, I noticed all that.'
'Well, it ain't a pleasant state of affairs. I don't say that the Unions
here would do anything to you - and please understand I'm all for the
rights of Labour myself. Labour has no better friend than me - I've been
a working man, though I've got a business of my own now. Don't run away
with any idea that I'm against Labour - will you?'
'Not in the least. I can see that. You merely find that Labour's a
little bit - er - inconsiderate, sometimes?'
'Look what happens across the Border! I suppose they've told you that
little fuss with the Japanese in Vancouver was worked from down under,
haven't they? I don't think our own people 'ud have done it by
themselves.'
'I've heard that several times. Is it quite sporting, do you think, to
lay the blame on another country?'
'You don't live here. But as I was saying - if we get rid of the Japs
to-day, we'll be told to get rid of some one else to-morrow.
