LABOUR'S WILD MEN

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 42, 13 November 1920, Page 7

LABOUR'S WILD MEN

RESPONSIBILITY FOR INDUSTRIAL TROUBLES AIMS OP TRADE UNIONISM

The following remarks by Lord Birkenhfad. Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain.-, on tho labour unrest, are taken "Daily Mail", of September 25: The indu6trial troubles of the last two years have been largely duo'to extremists. And bv an_ "extremist" I mean onfi who desires an immediate and radical revolution in tho existing economic order of society, and is not at all particular as to thoiineang by which it is to be brought about. Lonin's famous exhortation .to "bloody, civil war" excites in some minds not horror but exultation, not lothing but delight.

' Since Mr. Tom Mann exclaimed (ICennington. December 2, 1919): "I say, to hell with the employers," it is not uncharitable to assume that he has no scruples as to tho. methods to bo employed in sending them there. Since Mr. Bob 'Wil!iams- ("The Call," November 0, 1919) wrote; God speed the day when there sliall be a notice, 'To Let,' outside Buckingham Palace," it may bo Inferred' that ho would himself speed tho day by any available means. I could fill a column with similar quotations. Moreover, what the wild men say to audiences of wild men is only an obviou/s deduction from the teaching contained in-large books by thoso-aendemio writers who provide the so-called advanced thought of the movement.

If any man cares to join a society which, has for its declared objects to overturn the existing economic order, to appjoprlate land'and- factories without compensation, to compel the technical and managing staffs to perform their worlc under duress (which Mr. S. G. Hobeon does, in his "National Guilds and tho State," page 98), by alt means let him do so. • I have, no desire to limit in any tot: . tho. freo expression of the freest opinions." ,

What is called "advanced thought" is not "thought" at all, but shoddy mental floundering,, and it is not "advanced," for it would lead society back , to the depths from whlch'it has emerged. But if n man likes to advocate it, and join others in advocating it, I do. not pro-Dose-.to stop him or to. assist, others in stopping him.' The fresh air .of publio discussion is the best antidote for these Poisonous doctrines. _

But this* is precisely what the extremists do not proposn to do.' They are a comparatively .small, body, and if they worked, with their own resources alone their .influence would bo inconsiderable. Realising this, they have btfen bold enough and shrewd enough to make up for l'lieir own weakness by capturing the trade unions.

■ It has been easy for. them to do tliig [because of. the small amount of interest takon by. the averago unionist in the meetings !and proceedings of his branch or lodge. Tho block-voto favours them .enormously.- lil enables .one or two ipcn to speak with the apparent authority of tens of thousands.. originally, charged willr. the duty of safeguarding the'economie position.of the worker, has Men distorted in this way into an infernal machine for wrecking society/ 'The general body of trado unionists must now. at last face the facts. Take the present casta; . (t).. This. Electrical Trades Union demanded that a foreman should bo a member, of the unioii. He v.aii to draw his pay from his employers and tako his orders froiii the men under hlro. That was a demand which would havu revolutionised the .existing sys"«m of running a works. . It was meant to do so.

I know fis well ns_ anyone Hint, human nature Being what it is, n foreman may try to "nigger-drive" the 'men under liim. "lie union exists'to prevent, that, and it is a pei/ec'jiy proper function. But it is a tolaiiy different thing to striko bewinso a member o" u union, exercising rfis own discretion without any direction or influence of his employers, ceases io t»'a menttrer on being promoted foreman!' 'To', bring tire •'ttflxw" nnd tramways. of London' to*a stand becanso' this has • happened "at 1 .Pcnistone is not trade unionism but open and confessed warfare against society'.' (2) Aga'rn, the demand tot the prieo of coal should bo reduced lis; 2d. a ton was as remote • from the original intentions and operations-of trade unionism as the Pogstar is from the earth. The miners themselvos knew this," all other trade unionists know it, there was widespread and nocorious dissatisfaction at it, yet rhero the demand was, "one and indivisible," -said Mr. ltobcrt Smillie, who only the other day, as an aside in a speech advocating file nationalisation of the mines, spoke hopefully of"a day when land would be natiouaiistd—'"porhups with voir liutle .talk of .compensation." When, the miners' 'leaders last saw Sir Bobert Howie, and the meeting was on the, point of breaking up, Mr. Herbert Smith, addressing Sir liobert, said piteonsly and despairingly: "It is up to yo.u to (ret us out of this difficulty." Whv does Mr. lieijxn't Smith want "to get out"? .He was presumably a willing partner with Mr. Smillio and Mr. Hodges in getting; in.. He kuew as well as anyone the exact nature of the demand for the reduction of price,- he knew that this, •fiotitious boon to the coal consumer was a mere dodge for getting support for a plan which it was hoped would bankrupt the mines, and eo muke nationalisation •unavoidable: And the moment he was faced with the tonEetiuencei ■ he puts it ■up, not to the practised Mr. Swillie or the glib-tongued Mr. Hodges, but to tlie very Government-lie wanted to coerco to find a wav out. ' < ■

Ifortunately, there is pi' real and easy way out. A .get, of men, .within trade unionism but not of it, aro seeking to use the trade unions to smash society. Well, this happens to bo . Britain,; not Bussia. and 1 not even Italy, and if the srnnsh comes it will. not bo society that will go to pieces. We have not Beaten the Kaiser to become "the slaves o£ Mr. Hubert Sniiliie and the .unbalanced academics wlio do his thinking for him. It is the trade unionists who can find this easy way out. Aft they have io do is to shoulder their own responsibilities and to remember their obligations to their' i'elloW-citizeiis. Let them divide and define:

1. When the leaders of a union • • or' group of unions arc seeking strictly trade union ends by strictly trade union methods then considerate conduct to fellowcitizens, inar well consort with rigid difr. cipline.. and the unions, even if not ftlwavs successful, will' be powerful und respected engines of working-class progress. to which progress there ig no known or ascribable limit. .

2. When trudo union leaders use their position to seek political and even revolutionary ends by using power committed to them for one purpose for other purposes. which are .not only different but' rcpellnnt, it is tiino for the rank nnd filn o£ the unions to take a hand in tlio eame. .