The Press. Monday, January 31, 1916. British Labour and the War.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15501, 31 January 1916, Page 6

The Press. Monday, January 31, 1916. British Labour and the War.

The net result of the various resolutions dealing with the war which hare been passed by the Labour Congress at Bristol may appear to a good many people to he far from clear. The first • resolution expressed horror at the methods of the enemy, and pledged the Conference to assist the Government •is far as possible in the successful prosecution of the n-ar. At the same sitting an overwhelming majority approved of the action of the Parliamentary Labour Committecv in cooperating in the recruiting campaign. 'At the next sitting a resolution was adopted emphatically protesting against conscription in any form as "contrary 111 to the spirit of 'democracy and full of danger to the liberties of the " people." To-day two further resolutions are referred to. .One of these proposed that the inclusion of Labour > ,i

representatives in the National Cabinet, j should be approved, and it was agreed to. The other proposed an agitation for the repeal of tile Military Service Hill, and this was rejected. "W c thus see propounded on behalf of organised Labour in Britain a policy whien includes whole-hearted tupport of the war and of the Government, hostility to conscription, and at the same time unwillingnft-r, even to agitato for the repeal of the Act. providing for compulsory service. In dealing with organised Labour in Great Britain, the Government have the great advantage of knowing that they are dealing with people as keen ou winning the war thoroughly as anybody is, and as willing as ar.v other section of the community to abandon theories and prepossessions that may be shown to them, to be really detrimental to the prospects of doing effectively the work of smashing up the enemy. The resolution against conscription may therefore be taken as nothing more than a precautionary measure adopted by men in whom doubts linger as to the necessity for compulsive measures. There may bo other considerations, also: one can easily imagine the Labour delegates thinking it wise to file a notice upon the Government that they and the people they represent consider they are making a substantial sacrificc "'n submitting to the principle of compulsion. The most important decision of the Congress, of course, is its refusal to countenance an agitation for the repeal of the Act. We may look at the particulars in which tho Bristol Congress offers a very striking contrast to the strange Conference in Wellington "representing 87 "organisations of Labour." To begin with, the Bristol Congress, like the September Congress held in the same place, deemed it important and necessary to condemn the enemy, approvo the causc of the Allies, and affirm its determination to render all possible assistance. The resolution carried at the September Congress was as follows :— "That this Congress, while expressing its opposition —in accordance with its previously expressed opinion—to all systems of militarism as a danger to human progress, considers the present action of Great Britain and her Allies as completely justified, and expresses its horror at the atrocities whicft have been committed by the German and Austrian military authorities, and the callous, brutal and unnecessary sacrifice of the lives of non-combatants, including women and children; and hereby pledges itself to assist the Government as far as possible in tho successful prosecution of tho war." The decision of the executive of the Labour Party that Labour should have representation in tho National Ministry- has also been accorded the approval of tho general body of organised I&bour. In Great Britain, the tradeunionists are. able to understand that it is a privilege as well as a duty to accept, through their representatives in Parliament, part of the responsibility of the ■ Government in conducting the war. Still more striking is the attitude of British Labour towards recruiting. Convinced on broad grounds that they ought to do as much as possible in the work of rallying men to the defence of their native land, the Labour leaders frankly admitted that, as objectors to compulsion, they wero under a peculiar obligation in this matter. They declared that voluntaryism could succeed, and as honourable men they did their best to make it a success. In New Zealand, unfortunately, the men who speak for organised Labour havo either done nothing to make voluntaryism succeed, or else done all they have dared to make it fail. We ought hot to be surprised that the Bristol Congress was unable to come out with a direct vote of approval for the Military Service Act; «f there is anything to cause surprise it is tho rapidity with which the old violent prejudices of organised Labour have lost thoir force.