LABOUR AND DICTATORSHIP.

Evening Star, Issue 21631, 29 January 1934, Page 14

LABOUR AND DICTATORSHIP.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —lii your article under the above beading you state that as a result of its declaration in support -of parliamentary democracy the national executive of the British Labour Party makes a blow at Sir Stafford Cripps. I desire to express my disagreement, as I believe that the declaration is actually in favour of Sir Stafford’s policy. The national executive states that it regards democracy with a free electoral system as the only tolerable form of British government, and I venture to suggest that such an expression is typical of the opinion held by all Labour Party members, including Sir Stafford Cripps, but 1 also wish to submit that a big percentage of them contend that we have not at the •moment parliamentary democracy. It was because Sir Stafford Cripps realised this that he advocated changes m parliamentary methods. You say that with a view of establishing “ Socialism in our time” Sir Stafford took a leaf out of the Nazis’ book. No, sir, you have made a slight mistake. What he actually did was to take a leaf out of the book of the British Conservatives and also tin Coalition of this country. The, British Conservative Government of 1926 passed an Emergency Powers Act (riving the Cabinet extraordinary powers to break the coal miners’ strike of that year. Needless to say they were successful as a result of most unfair, un-British tactics. The present Government of this country has also passed what is called the Public Safety Conservation Act, which gives the Cabinet powers similar to those of the British Act with the same object, to quell any effort of the workers to improve their economic position. When a Labour leader advocates adopting similar tactics, but for the opposite reason, that of helping the masses by establishing Socialism, he is condemned with hysterical cries of “ dictator.” However, I wish to prophesy that Sir Stafford’s proposals will bo favoured by the British electors. Then we shall witness some remarkable changes in our political machine. There is no doubt about it that the present parliamentary methods of government are obsolete. For instance, there is absolutely no need for that useless institution, the Upper House, and T sincerely hope and believe the time is not far distant when it will bo abolished. When the voice of the people says with one accord “we desire Socialism in ouT time,” woe betide those who trv to prevent its establishment. The Labour Party is opposed to concentration camps, in spite of your suggestion to the contrary, but if there are any determined to thwart the will of the people and prevent a Labour Government from functioning, then no doubt you will agree it may bo necessary to establish concentration camps, or at least, camps similar to those in existence to-day. T wish to conclude by intimating that the Labour movement is composed of men and women who have a very definite purpose, that of emancipating the unfortunate members of society, and they will brook no denial.—l am, etc., Socialist. January 26. [Our correspondent’s suggestion is that the Labour Party’s executive deliberately speaks ambiguously. We may bo right, but he ignores the opposition which it expresses to any sort of “group dictatorship.” Our interpretation agrees with that attributed to the British Press in a message received after we wrote.—Ed., E.S.]