I.L.P.

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 7, 28 August 1931, Page 12

I.L.P.

AVING regard to his name and to his politics, I approached the talk by Mr. Bloodworth on "The International Labour’ Party" in a state of suppressed excitement. That there would be fireworks seemed inevitable; how long could he go before the announcer broke in? Alas, and alack! There was another conception rudely shattered, for the talk was the effort of a very ordinary and _ satisfactory town councillor; it was sober, sound ind sensible-a veritable burgher among talks, Mr. Bloodworth spoke of the whys and the wherefores of the LLP. It was, he stated, founded immediately after the formation of the League of Nations, and owes its existence partly to the terms of the Versailles Peace Treaty. Its objects are to raise the general standard of living for the toilers of the world. A most laudable object. Perhaps the I.L.P. have found out whether or no Soviet Kussia is, or is not,

using sweated labour for the fulfilment of her five-year plan. If she is, what does the I.L.P. intend to do about it? If she is not, has the LL.P. satisfied itself that the standard of living by Russian peasants is as high as_ they would wish? What a chance to make history! "The I.L.P. wishes to satisfy itself as to the methods of the Soviet; kindly offer all facilities of transport." As a matter of fact, I believe officials did go over some time ago; whether they saw what they wanted to see, or whether they saw what they were shown, are two different matters. Seeing that the five-year plan, the Indian boycott, and the Chinese unrest are all combining to cause the living among workers of the larger manufacturing countries to drop (in some cases to fall away altogether), and seeing that all are the result of Communist agitation and, finally, seeing that the Communists claim to be the friends of the workers, then the sooner the I.L.P. and the Soviet explain their two points of view the better for everyone.