Mr. Clynes, as President of the National Union of General
Workers, which held a congress at Aberdeen on Monday, denounced " direct action " in the strongest terms. " The vote was the instrument for making laws. The strike was the weapon for settliag,workshop terms." The organized workmen with the vote could, he said, make the Labour Party all-powerful, if they chose. At present, we may note, most of the workmen vote against. the Labour Party. Mr. Clynes warned his hearers that a resort" to violence would net only disorganize our commerce and industry, but would also stop our food iniports. If our delicate credit system broke down, foreign countries would, eease to sell us corn and meat and other necessaries. The. Bolsheviks have found that out already. Great Britain would suffer more than Russia. Mr. Clynes might have added that, so long as the small minority of extremists continues to influence the executive; the Labour Party will. never do any good in this country. He expressed much indignation. at the suggestion that Labour was not fit to rule. He would scarcely deny that the Labour Party, under some of its present leaders, will never have the chance of ruling.
Previous page
