The Dominion. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1915. "A BRITISHER FIRST"

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2632, 30 November 1915, Page 6

The Dominion. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1915. "A BRITISHER FIRST"

The result of the Merthyr Tydvil by-election is an emphatic declaration to friend and foe that the overwhelming majority of tie working classes of Britain- have as little sympathy, as the rest of the people with the aims aod methods o{ (Jies? pusil'ambo.ua icieada oi enaiiß jviw

strove hard to prevent the British Government from participating in the war, and who are now desirous that we should hold out the olivo branch to the nation which has sworn to encompass the destruction of our Empire. Mr. Stanton's victory is as significant as it is decisive. Mcrthyr' Tydvil is a labour stronghold, and has been represented in Parliament for the past fifteen years by the late Mr. Keir Hardie, who was, at the time of his death, Chairman of the Independent Labour Party. Mr. ICeir Hardiis's opinions regarding the war were mischievous and dangerous, and they were endorsed by the organisation known as the Independent Labour Partv, and by Mr. Winstone, the parfy s candidate for Merthyr Tydvil. But the scction of the constituency which realises the urgent need of a vigorous and uncompromising war policy seized the opportunity _ which the election afforded of declaring its mind. By giving Ms. Stanton a majority of over 4000 votes, the electors have condemned in the most emphatic and unmistakable manner the policy and tacfics of the Independent Labour Party as far as the war is concerned. 'The successful candidate is an advanced Socialist, but he is a Britishir first,. He has the courage and iho spirit to place the interests of,bis country before those of any party. \Yo are ; told that he is "all for war," wh'rh means in this case that ha is one of those who recognise that to t-ulk of peace at the present time iv to play a traitorous part to the interof Britain and her Allies. The pacifists can expect no support from Mr. Stanton. This- first election fought in England on the war issues has happened at an opportune moment. The result may be regarded as' a reply in advance to the American peace mission which is now being organised. The Independent Labour Party s attitude to the war which has lesulted in the smashing defeat :f its nominee for the Merthyr Tydvil seat is a peace at 'any price policy. It has contended in face of all the evidence, which goes to show" the utter folly and the dishonour which would attach to such a course, that Britain ought to have kept out of the struggle. It ha-s gone even further than this, and declined to lend its countenance to the recruiting movements, and has looked with disfavour upon the action of Labour members who have taken part in recruiting campaigns. It holds that the Government should formulate terms of peace, and thus pave the way for negotiations with the enemy for a settlement. It has learned nothing, apparently, of German ambitions and German treachery from the war. The recent conference of the party, it is true, declared that the attitude of members as regards' recruiting should be decided in accordance with the dictates of their own consciences, but, as Mr. J. R. Clynes, M.P., has pointed out, the conference proceeded to condemn those who had appealed to men to join the Army, and to repudiate their action. Happily, the Independent Labour Party is .only a small section of the Labour movement, and its suicidal policy finds no support _ among the vast majority of the industrial populaAt a joint meeting of the Parliamentary Labour, Party and the National Executive of the 'Labour Party held a few months ago an effective rcbuko was administered to ifce propaganda. The meeting expressed approval of the efforts of those Labour: members who had taken part in the recruitcampaign, and desired that their endeavours should be continued until Britain and her Allies "have attained victory and have concluded the terms of an honourable and lasting peace." The electors of Merthyr Tydvil have made it quite clear that they will not have any German made or German engineered |>eacc. It. is a significant fact that such a pronounced Labour constituency as Merthyr Tydvil,should be prepared to accept conscription if it should prove necessary to take that step. This goes to show that the British working man is too clear-headed to be deceived by the contention of pacifists that oompulsory national service would mean a violation of some fundamental principle of democracy. It is not a matter of principle at all, but of necessity. It would simply moa.ru, the conversion of the moral obligation of every ablebodied man to fight for his country when the need arises into a legal obligation. • Mr. Stanton's victory will strengthen .the hands of the Government. _ It. is_ a clear sign that the British public expects those in authority to push on with the war with the utmost vigour until tho purpose for which the Allies drew the sword has been fully, aohieved,