20 MAY 1922, Page 3

We are much interested to read the announcement that Dr.

Arthur Shadwell, the well-known writer on industrial and economic subjects, has become editor of the Democrat. Several times we have referred to what seemed to us excellently wise opinions expressed in the Democrat. It is the weekly organ of " moderate and constitutional trade unionism." It stanch' for private enterprise, for co-operation instead of hostility between Capital and Labour, and for refusing to confuse industrial• and political questions. On such lines as these every good democrat should be a strong supporter of trade unionism. Trade unionism continued greatly to raise the efficiency as well as the status, of the manual worker until the old unionism gave place to the new. If Dr. Shadwell can make his voice heard far and wide ho will confer a boon upon the whole community. The vast majority of manual workers, who are constitutionalists, and moderates, agree with him in advance. The trouble is that they have very few leaders. They certainly ought to rally to Dr. Shadwell, who is with them heart and soul in all their legiti- mate desires and whose writings have a humour and a humanity which are all his own. He is a thorough Englishman with an Englishman's love of fair play, and being a democrat, in fact as well as in name, he will, of course, make the Democrat stand without any casuistry for rule by the will of the majority.