A CHALLENGE

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 54, 5 March 1927, Page 6

A CHALLENGE

POLITICS AND INDUSTRY

PRIVILEGES OF TRADE UNIONS

During his speech in the House of Commons last month on the Socialist censure motion Mr. Churchill referred with regret to the increasing, tendency in these i\aya *° bring politics into industry and industry into politics, states the "Daily Tolegraph." He has something further to say on -the subject in an article entitled "The Challenge to the Constitution" which he has contributed to the current issue of the "West Essex Constitutional," a political broadsheet published in his constituency. The Chancellor of tho Exchequer deals in this article with the General Strike, the protracted dispute in the coal mining industry, and the privileged position of trade unions under the law.

'' The fact that the trade unions have become the tool of the Socialist Party (Mr. Churchill writes) has brought politics into industry in a manner hitherto unknown in any country. Although many of the older trade union leaders arc men .of good-will and patriotism, and although the majority of trade unionists wish to be good citizens of the country and Empire, the spirit of faction for political and party ends pervades and dominates tho trade, union world.' The extremists arc able on nearly every occasion to force the majority into violent courses, to rcpulso all efforts at compromise and conciliation, and to lovy the class war inside the industries in order to procuro by an increase of misery tho triumph of Socialist or Communist doctrines. We have seen these extremists sway the miners' councils to the general' misfortunate nt every critical moment in the ruinous dispute now probably ending.

"But for that the miners could have obtained seven months ago, and without suffering to themselves or the mass of their fellow-countrymen, terms incomparably bettor than those which they will now havo to accept. Even throe months ago they could have had from the Government terms greatly superior to those of which their leaders havo now advised aecoptanco. But tho Moscow iniluence and the Moscow money have been powerful enough to drown the voice of reason and good fueling. There is tho greatest difference between an industrial dispute, however lamentable, and a general strike. An industrial dispute about wages hours conditions, etc., in a particular industry ought to be settled in a spirit of compromise, with give and take on both sides. But a general strike is a challengo to the State, to the Constitution and to tho nation. Hero is no room for compromise.

"I am well aware that a large number of the trade union leaders only acquiesced in tho General Strike in order to prevent violent mon taking their places and pushing things to extremes. Therefore I do not pass harsh judgment upon them. Their difficulties were enormous. But, after all, there has to be somewhere in every community stern and superior resisting power against an unlawful challengo to the ytato. After our experiences of May we know that this will not be found wanting in our country.

"Tho events of this year, the malicious spirit at work in the industries by which wo live, the subvorsivo doctrines of the Socialist Party, the obvious foreign influences, the recklessness and folly, the impoverishment of all which has resulted, have forced us to reconsider the privileged position of trade unions under the law. As long as trade unions confine themselves to looking after tho interests of thehr members and of the industries out of which those members earn their wages the issue is merely one of Labour versus Capital. But when the privileges of trade unions are used, not for any industrial purpose, but for unconstitutional political action and to starve the public into submission, then the issue is between tho citizens and the State.

It is, our duty, therefore, to make sure that the laws of Britain aro such as to do justice between all classes. Privileges are sometimes allowed to slumber and survive as long as they do not work serious public injury When they arc abused it becomes necessary to recur to first principles and regulate matters accordingly. I ca n assure you that this question is now under a searching review by His Majesty's Government, and that at the proper "time wo shall make our proposals to Parliamont about them. ' "The British Empire, for some time to come at any rate, is not likely to be wrecked by any warlike assault from outside; it will certainly not be weak ened by any Constitutional issue between, the Dominions and tho Moth-r Country, or between the Dominions and each other. It is here, at the hoart o f th: Empire, that tho present danger threatens. The attempt to establish in tins island a Socialist State in sympathy and alliance with Moscow will be resisted by whatovcr constitutional means and measures may be found necessary. ''

Every muscle in the body, save those ot the left arm, is constantly in use during a strenuous game of lawn tennis, liven the left arm receives sufficient use to keep it in form.