Some of' Labour's leaders at Home have lately been giving the rank and file of the workers some extremely good advico a3 to the danger of letting themselves be led by the nose by the revo-
lutionaries. "I sbmetimes wonder," writes Mr G. N. Barnes, M.P., in an article oh "trade Unionism at the Cross Roads," "how long the- trade unionists will continue to be confused by the revolutionists who profess to speak in their name." After pointing out that the revolutionist is in some respects as blind as a bat, unable to see that he is permeating the cdihiriunitj' wkli an nhti-Communistie spirit, he goes on to refer to the "poisoiious propaganda'' carried on allegedly in the interests of Labour, and says that one of its greatest dangers Is that under its influence "the great mass of fairminded but easy-going trade unionists may be stampeded into revolutionary courses which, at the best, would only result in changing.the frirrti of economic relations, and at the worst might involve them and cithers in a common ruin." He urges trade unionists, who ought to exercise a steadying influence in industry, to show that they are "fit to take part ill industry on the basis of partnership instead of mere servitude," and not to be "fooled by those who are out only for destruction."
Mr (i. H. Roberts, another Labour 51.P. and Privy Councillor, declares that a great disservice was done to tke country and to Labour interests when the irreconcilable wing of the party secured the withdrawal oiLabour members from the Government. "Labour," lie asserts, "has,frittered away too much time and energy in the purSuit of political will-o'-the-wisps,-whereas its first coiicerh should be employment and trade." Oversea trade was necessary to Britain's existence because ,of her dependence on foreign countries for frmd and raw materials: "But we are failing to sell because prices are too high. Costs can dhly be covered by" the completest co-operation of employer's and workers." There can be little doubt that if this co-operation, .which is largely in the workers' hands, had been put into practice, there would bo not now, as reported in to-day's cables. 1,677 ; 000 unemployed registered at the Labdtir exchanges of the Old Coiiiitry at the present time.
Another prothitterTt Labour politician. Mi- Sexton, who graduated in the school of hard work and sometimes of penury —he said that he had had at times to take advantage of a casual' ward of & wor'khdiise—lately told the ' Houses of Commons how he had been led to alter some of his viewS. "~ In the days of his pristine political vigour he had been a disciple of Earl Marx, and in that capacity had contested a Parliamentary election, securing 415 votes out of 6000. Undismayed by this extremely plain indication that the electorate did hot want him, he arid his friends went batik to their cdmmittee rooms and sang "fiftghtnd arise; tlie Long, Long Night is Over." But the election taught hint something, lit hi 3 campaign speeches he had Averted—like the miners' delegate to the recent coal conference to whom we referred ystetday"—that interest was that, banking,was ustiryj and ! that the solution of ail political proh--1 lems lay in the interchange Of cbih- • mdditieS. A ftiefflbef of ah 6of His fiiiat ences disagreed with. him.. "Take my case," he argued. ' l I am a tripe-seller') and I want ■td go to London. Do I take a yard and a half of tripe and slap it into the ticket office?" "It was a, erudo way of putting it," commented Air Sexton, "but there was no answer, and from that day my enthusiasm for rfearl Marx disappeared."
More than ninety years have passed Since Simdh Bolivar, "the liberatdrV' died, hilt American admiration of the redoubtable part he played in the sub= cessful stfutile against. Spanish rule oyer griiith America, is .still apparently as stfcng tts ever, far yesterd&y'a ijables reported the liflVeiiing by President Warding of anothef statue' of hint; There hSs been one "«a Central Park in New York fd? nearly fdfty feafS; Boiivar, wild Was bdrrl of noble ffinilly in Caracas iix 1783, lived only if year's, hut for the greater pari? of the last twenty years df his life he tfafl almost Constantly .waging WarV Stiffe'Hilfj frequent defeat and every ndW afld again having to flee the country, but eventually returning to achieve further victories ' until between 1811, ■ when Venezuela declared its independent* of Stioih and then began the wafe which was to Cdtinrtti that declaration, and id3s, the republican armies which he led at different stages in the struggle had effected the liberation of Columbia, Ecuador, and I*erii;. Hia success afad hte assumption bf the powers of a dictator, which 'was for Ills' plirpdie, created jealous}- attidttg Bbmd of those who had supported him, ftfld oiie fetttUfe bf the Constitution for Bolivia* which he drew Up - , accentuated the suspicions that Ills actions' had aroused; He provided for" the executive poWer being entrusted to a president for life, with rtO responsibility, and 'with powbF to nominate hb successor. This proved a little too Napoleonic for sdrne of Bolivar's 'friends, and was no doubt the drigih of that movement against him which led eventually to his retirement front the cdttntfy on tt Bmall pension: His biog*apbeW.iigree that he Was nevef insincere in his deVbtiOll to liberty; he spent fiife life and his fortune in its service,- and died a poor man, though at one time he had unlimited control .Of the revenues of the three republics that he did so ttiuct to Call into being.
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Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17126, 22 April 1921, Page 6
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928Untitled Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17126, 22 April 1921, Page 6
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