A few of my amiable comrades in Belfast chose to consider this as an attack upon the city instead of taking it as it was meant, as a spur to greater activity upon correct political lines. The governing factor in winning these battles in Dublin is the fact that practically all classes of general labour are in one Union, and that the leader of that Union does not act, nor does his executive with him act, on old style trade union lines. The firm and skilful use of this power is what is making for the revolution in wages and conditions in Dublin that is at present going on. But this would not be possible but for that matchless loyalty to their class which I have spoken of as a characteristic of the Dublin workers. In Belfast, as I have already suggested, there is wanting alike the necessary forms of organisation, and the class solidarity that make that organisation possible and effective.
General labour is split up into many ineffective and comparatively isolated fragments.
The dockers and carters are in two distinct, unrelated organisations. The headquarters of the former is in Dublin, of the latter in Manchester. Hence the immense power which these two bodies can use on behalf of their fellows when united action is wanting in Belfast. And as fan as class solidarity is concerned, the following quotations from the capitalist press will speak volumes. They illustrate how the campaign of religious and political ruffianism initiated by Sir Edward Carson and his accomplices has broken whatever class solidarity ever existed in this city, and hence how the first task to our hand here is the fronting and throttling of this beast of bigotry.