The Trade Union Congress decided on Friday week, by 3,815,000
to 567,000 on a card vote, not to form a Trade Union Labour Party, but to remain with the Labour Party. The attempt of a strong and sane minority of Trade Unionists to escape from the domination of the Independent Labour Party, which has assumed the functions of a dictator towards Labour in general, has failed for the present. But Mr. Havelock Wilson, who led the movement tor reform, has no reason to be dissatisfied with the result of his action: It was clear that he made a very favourable impression upon the Congress, strengthening his position and that of the Union which he represents, apart from his election to the Parlia- mentary Committee. A proposal to form a Trade Union Federation, inside the Labour Party, to secure the reality of Trade Union action in politics, was rejected, but secured over a million votes. Trade Unionism is evidently moving slowly but surely towards political freedom, and the abandonment of the cruder Socialistic doctrines.
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