BRITISH POLITICS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4904, 18 November 1925, Page 4

BRITISH POLITICS.

LABOUR'S RIGHT AND LEFT WINGS WARNING TO TRADE UNIONISM. “It is the distinction between selfgovernment and the dictatorship of clasis. The line may not always be easy .to draw, but unless it is drawn the prerogatives of Parliament can be stolen one by one until we approach the true Communist state of class domination.”—-Manchester Guardian. The big political question of the future is undoubtedly the struggle between the left and right wings of the Labour Party.‘The Trades Union Congress at Scargorough, by ite spirit—even more than its resolutions —emphasises the belief in all quarters that Communism will sooner or later be foijced to an issue. The Right Hon. Philip Snowden, M.P., the Labour ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer, whose opinion must weigh, expresses in the “Weekly Dispatch,” in very forcible terms, his views on the matter.

“ TheßritishLabour and trade union movements are the only socialist and trade union organisations in Europe which have not taken a wholly hostile attitude to propaganda and Communist activities,” says Mr Snowden. “No Continental trade unionist congress, would receive a fraternal delegation from the Russian ‘trade unions,’, which are nothing more or less than an adjunct of of the Communist International. The Continental Socialists and trade unioiisists have had a too bitter experience of the disruptive influence of the Communists to tolerate them in any shape or form.

“ Slobbering' sentimentalism about ‘ Workers,’ Republics ’’ (which are the negation of everything the British Labour movement stands for) .has misled many, innocent British trade unionists in the belief that there 'is something in common between what has been done there and the aims of the Socialist movement in Great Britain.

“ There fe nothing in common ; and it cannot be too strongly affirmed that Bolshevism is not an advanced form of Socialism, but is fundamentally opposed to Socialism. “ The danger from the Gommunistp lies in two directions. So long as they are in any degree identified with the Labour Party and trade unibin work they will discredit, these movements and create popular suspicion. “ The second danger is that their emissaries, disguised as trade unionists and Labour Party men, will secure positions of influence and deflect Labour and •. trade union policy towards wild revolutionary aims. The action of the British General Council of the Trades Union Congress during the last twelve months,- under the inspiration of Communist influence, in tlie matter of the Red Inter,national of Ti;ade Unions, is a case in point.

“ When the British trade unions are faced with a concrete and definite proposal to abandon, constitutional methods for revolutionary methods their attitude is made abundantly clear,” Mr Snowden adds in the Weekly Dispatch. “ The attempt to rush the Congress into giving the General Council power to' call, a general strike in support of a particular trade involved in a dispute did not succeed.

“ The'General Strike has been fitly described by the Continent]. Socialists as General Nonsense. If it were attempted in this country the only result would be to destroy the trade unions and to put tlie workers back to the mid-Victorian state of helplessness. “ The trade union leaders and the rank and file know that, and they are

not likely to countenance such folly. “There is no danger either pf a» split either in the Labour Party or the trade unions'on the alternatives of constitutional or revolutionary methods, if only this handful, of Bol-shevik-Communists are firmly handled and not allowed the fr.eedom they now enjoy inside these movements to carry on their propaganda of corruption a,nd disruption. “ They derive what importance they have solely from the toleration shown to them by those wo totally disagree with them.” “ Interesting and important as'thedebates on organisation at the Trades Union Congress, may be, it is even more important to discover - the ideas that lie behind them, for it is upon these in the long rim .that the new movement will be made o-r broken. What is it, then, that the minority leaders hope to effect by concentrating the power- of organised Labour in one central authority and bringing it into action as a supposed irresistible force?” asks the Westminister Gazette.

“ The more outspoken say frankly the destruction of Capitalism.,and the abolition of what they call wageslavery. The more prudent confine themselves to saying the defence of wage-standards and tile enforcements of just demands for their improvement. The two things are vaguely joined up in the minds of a great many of tlie workers, but in fact they are sharply distinguishable, if not to say, recognisable, things. “Undoubtedly as the Russian ex.Hfir’ice shows ;• is possible at least perjence shows, it is possible, at least tempor-arily, to destroy capital and credit, and if that is an object worth pursuing, we may admit at once that it is a thinkable, though, as most of us think, a highly improbable, consumation in .this country.

“ But .the other object, the defence | and improvement of wage standard j and the abolition of ‘wage-slavery,’, is • so little related to it that, according ! to all experience, and especially the . Russian experience, it is far less like- j ly to be achieved on the ruins, of Capital isin x than when Capital, is flourish- I ing and prosperous. In this economic sphere the humble and meek are not , exalted when the mighty are cast’l down from their seats. The rich may i be punished, but their riches perishil with them.”