Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-03-16

Throughout the whole civilized
world there is hardly a single work
mems trade society that does not wish
to see established some form of inter
national alliance for the defence of
labor against capital. That this has
not been accomplished sooner must
be a matter of surprise to all who
study these questions. The expla-
nation rests in the fact that labor
organizations on the continent have
suffered constant persecution, and
enjoyed but little liberty of associa,
ton; while at home our trades
unions are rarely able to see further
than the requirements of the hour.
After the suppression of the Com
mune in 1871 the trades unions of
England were the first to take
alarm and to withdraw from the
International. Since that time they
have continued to be the chief OBJ
stacle to international association.
1t is only during the last few years
that they have recognized the neces-
sity of making some efforts to bring
about an understanding between the
Labor Parties of different countries.
Their action in convoklng an inter
national congress denotes a new de-
parture, and is therefore at once sig
nifcant and important.
The trades unions of the CONT
nent, it was stated, are not organ
lied in the same manner as those of
England. Their leaders were rep
resented as Impractical politicians,
who dream of revolution and barri-
cades rather than steady, legal prog
ress. The foreign workmen did not
pay their subscri ptlons regularly,
and the trade unions of the CONT
nent possessed hardly any reserve
funds. To be allied with such bod
les would compromise the reputa-
ton of the English Trades, and,
wherever money was granted for
common action, it would have to
come out of English pockets. In
answer to these objections it was
urged that England could not fairly
be compared with the continent.
The commercial prosperity and the
political freedom enjoyed in Eng
land gave the working classes of this
country superior opportunities. If
the continental workmen are not so
well organized, all the greater is the
need of assistance from their more
fortunate English brothers. If the
English trades unions are so rich it
is because they are in the main
merely benefit societies. Shorn of
their benefits, sick allowance, out-of-
work allowance, funeral benefits,
etc, the English trades unions
would not be so wealthy, nor would
the subscriptions be paid with any
great regularity. This is precisely
the position of the majority of con-
tinental trade societies. Their funds
are merely strike funds. Also,
though it is true that the Latin races
do not pay their subscriptions regu-
larly, such is not the case with re-
spect to the Flemish, Dutch, Scan
dinavian and German workmen. AS
for the impractical character of the
working class leaders, the wonderful
success achieved by the Partisan
workmen through the election of
their representatives on the Paris
Municipal Council and the growing
electoral strength of the Social-Dem-
ocratic Party in Germany show that
they know how to avail themselves
of -egal methods. The talk of revo-
luton and barricades is grossly ex-
aggerated for party purposes, and if
the workmen of England were ex-
posed to as much police interference
as that which prevails on the CONT
nent, the probabilities are that they
would not be content with the mere
talk of violence
With arguments such as these the
trade unions of this country were
persuaded to take part in the Inter
national Conference held at Par.s in
1883 Here they met representa-
tlves of Italy and Spain, as well as
those of France. On returning home
the Parliamentary Committee, which
every year the Trade Union Con-
gress elects, and which constitutes
the nearest approach existing of a