This scheme, as was to be expected, has been indig.'
nantly assailed by Labour. In this matter Jr a hour is ; indeed difficult to please. When the unofficially„organized O.M.S. was started, Labour speakers laid it down that it
• was outrageous for private persons to assume responsi- bility and that any self-respecting Government would act for itself. It may be pointed out that the
merely offered man-power to the duly constituted authori- ties, and in our opinion it was performing a public. service - in doing so, though the names. of the organizers of the O.M.S. (perhaps inevitably, but none the less unfor- tunately) gave its critics an excuse for saying that it was a purely class movement.. Now, however, the Govern- -meat have done the self-respecting and responsible thing. Does that make any difference to Labour ? 'Evidently it does not. The only constructive suggestion which has come from Labour is that the maintenance of supplies should be entrusted.to the General Council of the Trades Union Congress—another unofficial body which is open to the same objection that has been raised to the O.M.S. Moreover when the matter was discussed by the Trades Union Congress it was suggested (perhaps by an oversight) that the Council of the Trades Union Congress should co-operate only when a Labour Government was in power.
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