Wednesday's Times contained a letter from Mr. Frederic Harrison protesting
against the proposed reversal of the Osborne judgment. He pointed out that Parliamentary government would be at an end if Members no longer repre- sented constituencies, but were the nominees of irresponsible Unions who paid them to vote at the orders of a secret junta. It was the universal rule that corporate bodies could only spend money in ways that were definitely included in their articles of association. "Why are working men to be placed outside the common law of the realm ? " After remarking that " it is a scurvy trick to denounce the judgment as that of the Hereditary Chamber," Mr. Harrison goes on to show that there is nothing to prevent working men from freely subscribing to electoral funds. "Bat it is both craven and dishonest to clutch at the savings carefully husbanded to succour the labourer out of work, in sickness, old age, and death." Trade-Unionism was not intended to promote the objects, such as universal collectivism, which are aimed at by the leaders of the Labour Party. Therefore, whether these objects are right or wrong, Trade-Union funds must not be devoted to them. Mr. Frederic Harrison's letter is of the greatest importance, especially when it is remembered that he has been for fifty years a firm friend of Trade-Unionism.
Previous page
