BRITISH COAL STRIKE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 26 June 1926, Page 4

BRITISH COAL STRIKE

THE COMMUNIST PARTY'S OBJECTIVE (Contributed by Wclfa're League) What is appearing in the press with reference, to the money which is being sent from Russia, ostensibly to assist the British miners, will justify Hie VVclfaro League in repeating the information it lias published before on the workers' wago conditions in Soviet Russia and the designs of the Communist International. Speaking at Abbeywood on 4th June, Mr A. J. Cook, the miners' secretary, said : "Thank God for Russia ! Last week I received a, cheque for £270,000 from Russia. Today the co-operativo societies of Russia'sent £40,000 and tho Central Russian Union £7o,ooo—nearly £400,000 from Russia."

The question is, did that £400,000 conic from free workors' unions and cooperatives or is it part of the great fund allotted by the Third International towards creating revolution in Britain. RUSSIAN WORKERS' CONDITIONS Are the Russian miners and other workers there so well off as to be able to send these funds. In 1924 the International Labour Office, of the League of Nations published a comprehensive report on Soviet Russia which contains the following passages:— "The average wage paid in State industry during the second half of 1923 was not more than 55 per cent of tho pre-war average which itself was very lew, yet these wages are still too heavy a burden on State industry, and the Government has taken steps to prevent further increases and to keep them at tho level reached at the beginning of 1923." The British Labour delegation which visited Russia (and was most sympathetic, to its Government) reported mining wages as 52.1 per cent on nre-war rates, whilst it gave the pel' centage over alt industries as 68.3. It .also reported the total unemployed on. April Ist 1924, as 1,369,000. The statements show that tho work ei's of Russia are drawing very much lower wages thai: those of pre-war days (when the wago rates were "very.low"). How can such poverty stricken workers send large sums to the British miners unless it is not their own money that is being sent? The explanation is that Labour Unionists in Soviet Rusria arc not free Associations of individuals but ageiues of the Government which again is the instrument of the Communist Party and the Third International. AGAINST BRITAIN'S BULWARKS In 1921 Lenin and Trotsky in their published instructions from Russia stated that in overthrowing the Capitalist States the British Empire was their fust objective. This policy has been steadily maintained. In the Fifth Congress of the Third International 1924 held at Moscow, the most conspicuous feature was tho atlen'ion which it paid to revolutionary work in the British Empire. Zinovieff proclaimed 'The- most important, section of the Communist International, from the political point of view, is not the German or tho Russian, but the English one—the main task is now being transferred to England.' The Communist Party drew up a programme which was submitted to above Congress and published in the "Communist Review". It says—" The Communist Party of Britain regards the nmiatenance of tho British Empire as an act of deadly enmity to the workers of Britain, and the whole world.' This' Bolshevist power, presents its industrial aims as -'the stoppage of all class peace and collaboration and to make the workers' - organisations fighting battalions."

It is no wonder that members of the British House of Commons are disturbed over what is taking place. They see the mining induslxv a.t n. standstill, over a million men out of work and large sums of money being sent from Russia to secure continued and extended warfare Mr Cook, who described himself as - "a- disciple of Lenin," will, of course, receive money from such" a source gladly. The time must surely come, however, when Britain will have stood enough of openly expressed hatred and covert designs against her peace and welfare and will take drastic action to check the attacks of hidden foes who seek the nation and Empire's downfall.