The Times of Wednesday gives an account of the annual'
report of the National Free Labour Association. The report states that up to the end of August last no fewer than 228,00(P seamen have been registered as " free labour men." In London the demand for the Association's ticket has been very great. The report, which is highly aggressive in tone, declares that out of 9,768,073 male persons over twenty who are working for their living, only 1,109,014 are in Trade- Unions, and that 8,677,059 "are non-unionists, blacklegs," scabs," knobsticks,' or anything else but Trade-Unionists."' " We believe," says the report, " in the need of combination, but not in the 11 per cent. being allowed to coerce 89 per cent. of the workmen of the country." A manifesto dealing with the late Trade-Union Congress is also issued, and deals, strongly with the foolish resolution in favour of legislation directed against free labour being used in cases of strikes. We have always believed, and still believe, that in properly and moderately managed Trade-Unions, the labourer finds
the help and protection he needs, and therefore have no abstract sympathy for this fierce assault on them. We cannot, however, disguise the fact that the New Unionism, by its rashness and oppressive policy, invited the attack. It tried to treat the capitalist as if he had no rights, and naturally the capitalist struck back, and as hard as he knew how.
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