MR. COOK’S CONFESSION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19783, 5 March 1927, Page 11

MR. COOK’S CONFESSION

SURRENDER TO LENINISM “IN FAVOUR OF THE BOMB.” A statement as to his intentions for the future was made to the Manchester “Guardian” by Mr. A. J. Cook, secretary to the British Miners’ Federation, on his return early in January from his visit to Russia. In a series of interviews ho showed that he may now be definitely classed with the Communists, he having completely identified himself with Leninism. The Labour correspondent of the “Morning Post” said: “How Air. Cook will fare —after these interviews and the declaration in favour of the bomb — with the Alincrs’ Federation remains to be seen. Developments there are expected by those in touch with the executive. Indeed, Mr. Cook himself seems to expect trouble, for he is now identifying himself with the movement for starting a new National Union of ALiners. Knowing that there is a movement to get rid of him, his plan is to get rid of the Miners’ Federation. For the moment Mr. Cook’s idea is to crab any attempts to secure peace and goodwill in industry.” In one of his latest speeches, Air. Cook said: “So far as I am concerned there can be no peace in the coalfields as long as there is an eight-hour day and lower wages. My policy for the new year is to reorganise tho union with a view to making the eight-hour day inoperative.” People Very Happy. In discussing his visit to Russia, Air. Cook said: “I went to Russia expecting to find illiteracy and chaos. Instead, I found education and order among a people who are very happy under a form of Government which, unlike this country, represents the desires of the overwhelming majority of the population. There is not the slightest doubt in my mind that the Soviet system in Russia has come to stay. ’ ’ Air. Cook admitted that the standard of life of light workers in Russia—particularly clerical works —was below that of corresponding classes of people in Britain. His impression of the Russian trade unions was that they were on a far more democratic basis than in Britain, and that their domination of the Soviet was complete, although they had not the right of actual decision. There was, he said, no distinction between Communists and non-Communists within the trade unions, and in the debates which he attended at the Trades Union Congress ther e was entire freedom of speech. The standard of debate was higher than in Britain, and it was a remarkable comment upon the Russian system of education that about onethird of the delegates were able to speak English, and an even larger number had a good knowledge of German. Strong Faith in Leninism. Writing in the Sunday Worker on the visit to Russia, Mr. A. J. Cook, the miners’ secretary, says: “I have talked with workers at their clubs, where the families gather, at the workshops, in tho universities, in the streets and in their own homes. AJways the same slogan: ‘Long live the Soviets’—‘Leninism liveth for ever. ’ What experiences, what lessons for us! It has repaid me for all I have suffered—for all the sneers by Labour’s enemies at Home. “Neither Jix, Baldwin, MacDonald, Thomas, Churchhill, nor Birkenhead can destroy my faith in Leninism. What I have seen and heard and witnessed none of them can take away. I shall work harder, for Communism is right. It is not a theory, nor dream; it is a reality. How small one felt there; and what midgets our Labour leaders are to the great giants there. They do not pose, they are not sage actors, nor professional advocates like many of our leaders—especially our political leaders • —but real class-conscious men, knowing what they want and with a definite plan and the courage to carry out their proposals. “I could almost cry with despair when I think of the British General Council and our Labour Party, and weigh them in the scale with the leaders here. Well may the AlacDonalds and Thomases fear the rising tide of democracy! They will go down before that tide of class-consciousness along with Baldwin, Churchhill and company. The only difference is th© label.” Air. Cook, in one of his statements, said he had no apology to make for the past year’s fight. There were being created in the coalfields, as a result of unemployment among young men, demoralised human beings and revolt was spreading everywhere. “We are sitting on a volcano,” he said. “Who is to blame?” he asked. “Not the leader, I am the gramophone for the million miners I represent ” Another statement by Mr. Cook was “The crisis that came last year will come again with greater ferocity, not because I want it. ’> “From Bomb to Ballot Box.” Prior to Air. Cook’s departure from Russia he was interviewed by the Aloscow correspondent of the Manchester “Guardian.” In this interview, Mr. Cook related his experiences in Russia and painted the conditions there in glowing terms. He concluded his statement to the interviewer thus: — “I am convinced that revolution in England is inevitable, and I personally favour any means, from the bomb to the ballot-box, that will help the workers to overthrow Capitalism. Revolution is inevitable because of the reactionary policies of the present Tory Government, which has forced the miners to return to work at longer hours and at wages which arc 40 per cent, below the pre-war level, which is holding more than a thousand miners in prison for their strike activities, which is inaugurating a general attack on the right.'! of the British Trade Unions to organise and strike. “It is, of course, impossible to predict with certainty how the revolution will come. It may assume the form of a new general strike or it 4 may come through a political victory of Labour which will lead to the nationalisation of the mines and large industries. . . ” His voice shaking with emotion, Air. Cook concluded: “The Government and the mine-owners beat us in our fight for a living wage. But their victory will be the dearest victory that British Capitalism ever won ”