THREAT OF REVOLUTION

Waipa Post, Volume 32, Issue 1783, 15 July 1926, Page 6

THREAT OF REVOLUTION

WHAT LABOUR LEADERS HAVE

SAID. Of recent years in Great Britain ithere has been a most disturbing feature attached to the Labour movement. It is the readiness shown by leaders, often classed a s moderate, to indulge in talk of a revolutionary character and, in addition, to complacently join in courses of action which are unconstitutional. v The recent general stTike 'was, by a Judge, declared illegal, yet such men as Messrs Ramsay MacDonald, M.P., J. H. Thomas, J. R. Glynes and other Labour leaders did not hctsitate to support it. Her e is the kind of talk which has been used and how far it is from either sane or moderate readers may judge for themselves.

Mr J. Bromley, M.P., (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen), speaking at Sheffield on 16th August, 1920, at the time of the original "Council of Action," of which he was a member, said: "I have just come from • London, where for purposes of peace andi war, the fifteen of us have 'practically taken over the government of the country in this particular issue."—Daily Herald, 17th August, 1920.

|Mr J. H. Thomas, M.P. (National Union of Railwaymen), in moving at the Labour Conference on 13th August, 1920, a resolution approving the "Council of Action," of which he was a member, said: "It is because I believe that giving effect to this resolution does not mean a mere strike that I ask you men to be under no misapprehension—it is nothing,of the kind. If this resolution is to be given effect to, it meanfs a challenge to the whole constitution of the country."—Daily Telegraph, 4th August, 1920. Mr T. C. Cramp (National Union of Railwaymen), speaking at Yarmouth on 29th August, 1920, said: "The Council of Action was unconstitutional and intended to be so. If a similar crisis arose it would be unconstitutional again."—Eastern Daily Press, 30th August, 1920. Mr Frank Hodges, then General Secretary of the Miners' Federation: "We are going to create a ftiist-class economic crisis, which will reduce the nation to chaos."—Miners' Federation Conference.

Mr J. Wheatley, M.P., ex-IMinister for Health, writing in the South Side Standard: "We are on the threshhold/ of an industrial and social revolution. . . . It looks like evens on

a clasJh. One thing is as clear as noonday. For the next nine months the workers must prepare on a new (scale and on new lines for the great-

est struggle in their history."—Daily iMail, August 10th, 1925.

Mr A. A. Purcell, M.P., member of the General Council of the Trade Union Congress and an hon. member of the Moscow Soviet, speaking at Coleford on Bth August, 1925: "If the threat of the Government to use the Crown forces means resisting the efforts of trade unionism in taking the same steps ate it took last week, then it is the duty of the working class to see that all the forces available are brought together for the purpose of resisting the Crown forces and to protect the interests of the people."— Daily Mail, August 10th, 1925. Then we have the following choice utterances of Mr A. J. Cook, secretary of the Miners' Federation, speaking on the 9th May, 1924. Mr Cook said: "There are people who believe that the period of strikes i s over. In my opinion it is only jujst beginning. We have not yet learned to strike effectively. We have played at the game, we have played at war." As this quotation is taken from the columns of the IDaily Herald, we hope its accuracy will not be denied. Again speaking at. a meeting of the Holborn Labour Party on the 20th of June, 1924 Mr Cook saidl: "I believe solely and absolutely in Communism. Strikes are the only weapon." And again, at Pontypridd on the 16th August, 1925: "Take it )£rom me, revolution will come. I want a revolution that will have a disciplined army and a revolution that will not only have discipline but be organised with an objective."

At County Durham on August Bth, 19125: "Let me warn youj that if I had the means and the organisation I should advocate a revolt. My friend, Baldwin, let me warn you that what we did last week we can and will do again."—Daily Mail, August 10th, 1925.

In face of such repeated! declarations the British Government was fully justi'fied in marshalling all its forces to defeat the recent general strike and to repress the revolutionary destructive movements that are altogether too active in Britain.

'(Contributed by the N.Z. Welfare League).