The Private Bill dealing with the political levy in the
Trade Unions is still the principal subject of controversy. Many Unionist organizations throughout the country have been urging the Government to give Mr. Macquisten's Bill their full support. We sincerely hope that the Government will do nothing of the sort, for if they do they will infallibly repair all the fissiparous tendencies in the Labour Party. Although Mr. Macquisten's propOsal• that in future Trade Unionists should have " to contract in " instead of having " to contract out " in 'the matter of the levy is not an attack on Trade Unionism, - and is, we are sure, not designed to be so; it will be inevitably represented as an attack. If the Government unreservedly associate themselves with the Bill they will at once reunite the Opposition. It is not enough to say that " only courage is required " to redress the grievances of those Trade Unionists who do not wish to pay_ the levy but are too often intimidated into doing so. Wisdom in this case is even more necessary than courage.
