LABOUR LEADER ON PACIFISM

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 197, 9 May 1918, Page 8

LABOUR LEADER ON PACIFISM

A'IBWS OF MK. BEN TILLETT. Mr. Ben Tillett, M.1 , ., secrjtar.v of llu> Dock, Wharf and General WortaiV Union of Greet Britain and Irelmul, who has paid tscveml visits io the AV«*slern front, writes optimisticnllv ing the uroepeote ot linltjinp tlio oncniy and oVentually driving him hack In liin own soil. In a special article which hn contribufced to the "Daily Chronicle," published on January 2fi, convcyiun tlio imprcssfons of his lest visit to Franco, he remarked:— "I am nlmost astounded to find how very readily ws have wlapled oui-biMvi-. to tho fieix'eet and* most cxnclinp conditions of modern wiirfnro. Tf the fond, material «nd nmmiinilion fißhtinj supplies aro maintflincd, I onnnnt seo how or why, with the joint nffnrls of Franc-, England. Italy, and Amerin.i, in spiln of the Russians unci Hie setback , on the Enstern frontier, wo cannot finnllydrive the ■Rertnans back (o their own noil. "Tho nit>n arc most cheerful, in fnc.l; thev are optimistic, offering their livofi, while some, of our people fit homp who live in luxury and safety arc pessimists and cowards.

"I have every ronton fn believe our enthusiasm and systometio ei.eriry will win the war, not meivly lor the Allies, but for humanity in genernl." Repardinj; the atfitudo c-f the pacifists Mr. Tille.lt makes (ho following observations:—

"Tho messapp- of tho Tommies nl. the front to our men at homo is: 'Do your bit, do it every time, and help us.' They well know wlint tho pncifista hnvo cost m in Russia it ml in IWy, «nd tlipy realise tho oncoming of another million of German? released from !ho Unssian frontier. They arc Warning Hie pacifists, not merely of 'Russia, irhn l.jivc destroyed nnd neutralised the revolution, but: H>i>y aro fiercest against our own pacifists, who callously e.Tiilt m Mie Minrcliv nnd , the murder which osM, in Hussia. While they accept the burden imposed by tho maiiprifincv (if pacifism, thny ore noiw the less fwlin? and tendering hatred and pnsii*" , '""•'inrt thopo who favour sne'i movements.

"May T iirr» for. the men that this pn('ifi''t movei'pnt would tost our own country o. million of Hvts? The women and children belonging lo the men s«frifirol will exact prune n'venge on (ho nnrt of thoso who hnvo b«m piiitty. nct.ively guilty, in favouring a movfment that hae led l< such catastrophic conßequences."