BUNKUM BEN.

NZ Truth, Issue 93, 30 March 1907, Page 3

BUNKUM BEN.

"TILLETT THE TALEPITCHER."

Carps at His Collectivist Companions;

And is Denounced as a Traitor

and Liar.

" Remember His Record," says the

" Labor Leader.

" Tillett. the Tale-pitcher," as Ben Tillett used to be called, appears to have " turned dog" on Socialism since his visit to Australia. When m this country he was a Socialist first ..last 'and all the time ; hut at the Labor Party Conference recently held m Belfast, Ireland, lie excised the indignation of Socialists belonging to the "Independent Labor Party " by the manner and matter of ! his attacks on the members of that Socialist sub-organisation. For this the London "Labor Leader" calls him a liar and a traitor m the following report of his tactics and utterances.." The "Labor Leader" is: the official organ of the Independent LafJor Party:— ■••■■ TO EXCLUDE SOCIALISTS. Then'came another move from the antiI.L.P. section. Mr. Ben. Tillett put forward a resolution to eicclude all who were not members of Trade Unions. He did so m a speech directed by woid: and gesture at the I.L.P. delegates. He . sneered at Socialists who, he alleged, wou^d not degrade themselves by joining the Tjade Union ranks. He accused the jVEiiPi'of coming into the party tb sneak Trade Union funds,. and m bitter, and offensive phrases maligned men and women m the I.L.P. who had fought m scores of Trade Union battles and never charged a penny fee. . Mr. John Hodge, M.P., defended the Socialist members of the party. Many of them could not, be pointed out, join Trade Unions because -t^/ey belonged to professions m which there ••.^ ■ / ■ WERE NO TRADE UNIONS eligible for affiliation to the Labor Party. : Joseph Burgess followed, reminding the delegates that they had already declared that morning that Socialism should not be imposed on Trade Unionists. He felt sure they could not now demand that Trade Unionism should be forced upon Socialists. Mr. Quelch took sides with Mr. Tillett, and made the curious assertion that Socialist could be, and ought to be, a Trade Unionist. Mr. J. R. Clynes, M.P.. opposed the resolution m an earnest and effective speech. He paid a warm tribute to the unselfish toil of many Socialists for the Trade Union cause. & Mr. Wm. C. Anderson (Shop Assistants) also opposed the proposal. He spoke with much spirit; He asked the Conference not to forget that many of the greatest workers and thinkers m the j SOCIALIST AND LABOR cause were middle-class people. Were these to join Trade Unions the essential character, of [Trade Unionism would be destroyed. - • . . Mr. G. H. Roberts, M.P., also spoke up for the Socialists. He asked whether Mr. Queloh would make it a condition of Mr. Hyndman's being a Socialist -candidate that he should first join one of the Laborers' Unions ?. ." ),:.:' \ .;^"i- -..^ ->■■■-■ Mr. Bowermanf-M.P., joined with Mr. Tillett m saying that they had a right to protect Trade Union funds from being used by Socialists. = A TRAITOROUS OUTPOURING. Mr. Tttlett was called upon by the Chairman to reply. He rose from beside Mr. Richard Bell, M.P., and once more launched out into a torrent of abuse against the Socialists m the Labor Party, • Pointing his finger at the I.L.P. delegates, 'he poured out upon tljtem a stream of sarcastic and insulting insinuations. He again accused the I.L.P. of being m the Labor Party for purely sordid motives, and asked the Conference to defend Trade Unionism and Trade Union funds from the wicked and designing Socialists. During this exhibition the I.L.P. delegates sat unmoved: The great majority of the .Trade Union delegates were no less unmoved. They knew the man who was speaking, they remembered his record, and felt, I believe, humiliated by his presence m their midst. The whole speech was a „ MEAN, IGNOBLE. APPEAL I to every reactionary prejudice m the Conference. The sweat of falsehood stood on the man's brow as he spoke. This and his previous poisonous outpouring should for over disqualify him from comradeship m the ranks of self-respecting members of his party. On the vote being -taken, the resolution was defeated by 553,000 against 381,000. Many votes were cast for the amendment on its face value, and were m no sense an endorsement' of Mr. Tillett 's attack upon the Socialists affiliated to the party.