THE RIGHT TO WORK.
[To THE EDIT= OP THZ "SPECTATOR.."] SIR,—To those who have been watching the progress of events in the labour world it has been evident during the past two years that non-union workers have become aroused to the importance of maintaining their independence. The remark- able evidence given by the non-union witnesses before the Railway Commission last year was followed by a report in which trade-union officials joined in expressing the opinion that men should "not be permitted to incite or coerce by threats, or any form of intimidation, men who desire to give their labour." Then we have the happy ending of the London Dock strike, in which the unions have failed to make it a condition of labour that all workers shall become unionists. If the ground that has been gained is to be maintained, the non-unionists must organize in self-defence, for the Trade Union Congress has now declared itself in favour of trade-unionists refusing to work with non-unionists. The Committee for Promoting the Formation of Societies of Free Workers has been working to this end, and already a number of societies have been established. They held their first National Conference at Bradford on Friday, with the object of forming a National Society of Free Workers to maintain the principles of personal liberty and personal responsibility; especially to protect by every means in its power the rights of individual members to live and work in freedom, so long as they do nothing to interfere with the enjoyment of a like freedom by all others. We appeal to your readers to give their support to the committee in the useful work they have undertaken. Contributions may be sent to the chairman, Mr. Mark H. Judge, '7 Pall MalL The committee is not to be a permanent one ; it will retire after the new organization to be founded on Friday has been firmly established.—We are, Sir, Fie., AVEBITRY (Orpington),
DYSART (Grantham),
GEORGE H. DARWIN (Cambridge), C. F. BEDE& (Leeds), ERNEST E. WILLIAMS (Inner Temple).
7 Pall Mall, London.
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