The duty of Trade-Union leaders at this juncture, continues Mr.
Maddison, is clearly to dissolve the alliance with outside political parties. "The majority of the members of the Trade- Unions are Liberals and Tories, the Socialists being a small minority, and yet the former are compelled to subscribe to funds used to promote the cause of the latter. This is an intolerable situation. It is the tyranny of the minority, and would be wrong if the numbers were reversed." But the red flag floating over the Labour Party does an even greater harm to Trade-Unionism by weakening men's belief in its principles and methods. To many prominent Trade-Union officials ordinary Labour combination has become a mere makeshift. "Political action alone commands their whole-hearted sup- port. Their interest in Trade-Unionism begins and ends with their salaries. Their hearts are in Socialism and their hands on the funds of the Trade-Unions." Again, "your Socialist does not want industrial peace. It is the class war he wages, and he welcomes everything which tends to accentuate differ- ences. His cause thrives on misery and malice, hence his attack on all efforts to extend conciliatory methods. The railway settlement disappointed him. He wanted war, and stood to gain by victory and defeat, probably more by the latter." Mr. Maddison concludes by an urgent appeal to Mr. Shackleton to advise the textile operatives to withdraw from the Labour Party, and to assume in the House of Commons the lead of the Trade-Unionist group, whose sole business would consist in watching the interests of organised labour, leaving its members free on all questions of general politics. "If the leaders will not move, the rank-and-file must under- take the task of thtowing off the Socialist incubus."
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