Though we respect the Ex-Service Man we do not desire
for a moment to give judgment on any ex-pane statement made in its columns. It may well be that the Ex-Service Man has written hastily and without foundation, and we hope sincerely that this is the case. Indeed, it will be most surprising if it is not. If the indictment is a true bill the Unions concerned have acted in a way which we feel certain would not be endorsed by the bulk of their members, and would certainly be con- demned by the country as a whole. In any case we have no hostEity towards trades unions, and we hold as we have always held, that though their talk may often be foolish and that the leadership is often bad, the bulk of the members are perfectly sane and patriotic Englishmen. We do feel very strongly that it is up to the unions to show conclusively that they have not done what the Ex-Service Man says they have done and no doubt believes they have done. Here, as in so many cases, the maximum of publicity in regard to the facts is what is wanted. The country will not condemn the trades unions unheard in so grave a matter, but on the other hand the trades unions must be careful to put their case plainly and clearly, and so free themselves from the suspicion of injustice to the men who fought to save us, and did save us. No one can say that the ex-Service men were blacklegs in the great strife against Prussianism and Tyranny.
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