Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-10-05
THE NEXT STEP.

In relation to the London strike the
following comments OF the LdboUr Flee
tor, with which John Burns is con-
nected as Treasurer of the Committee of
Management will be read with interest;
"oUR TRIUMPH.
THE Dock strike has ended with the
complete victory of the men, who de-
serve even higher praise for the gener-
oSity they have shown to vanquished
foe than for their wonderful courage
and self-control during the struggle.
This is not the place or the time to re-
cord the history of the conflict, but we
must without delay impress on our
readers the lesson of the triumph, and
insist on the duty it devolves upon
them.
Its RESULTS.
1.-The lesson is that combined Labor
honestly and ably led has its fate in its
own hands. The duty is for everyone
of us to set to work without hesitation
or discussion on certain obvious lines to
secure that the hardwon victory of the
Dock and River workers shall be firmly
established, to organize in every depart
ment and every grade of Labor the
means of grasplng similar victory by
the methods which have proved SO eff
ftctive, and to establish the machinery
to obtain the results without risk of fail
ure, and without the enormous waste of
wealth which this strike has involved.
''THE HARVEST READY,
''The Tea Operatives and General
Laborers' Union five weeks ago had UNI
der hundred members. To-day it is
numerically the strongest trade organi-
cation in the metropolis. But the IS, 900
men who have flocked to it are igno-
rant of the rudiments of trade unionism,
are flushed with theiy sudden success,
and are unaware that Hess their soci-
| ETY. is at once thOrOt uy and closely
organized, every adva age they have
gained must inevitably Ne taken, from
them in few years. haps in few
months. Their Genet Secretary, Mr..
Ben. Tilett, is physid disabled for
the laborlous work whi must be done
at once, and which will the energies
of a dozen men in re lst health If
Mr.. Burns is not to lose rever the Ca
pacity for tremendous exertion Of
which he has made such lavish use, he
must have long rest without a week
delay. The immediate work that must
be done, must be done for the time by
other men.
"What is required is the steady, pa,
tent, devoted labor of from ten to
twenty men and women with tact, tenn
per and experience in trade union
work. They must be willing to give,
not a casual hour at uncertain times,
but couple of evenings week for six
weeks to the work of establishing the
branches of the Union. Amongst our
readers there are thousands who are
quite capable of doing this. There is
no better work to be done at this mo-
ment in London. Will those who see
its urgent necessity at once send their
names, their addresses, and the nights
during the week they can devote to the
work, to this office? We are glad to be
able TO state that the National Labor
Electoral Association has offered the
entire services of one of its Council to
the Tea Operatives and General Labor
EI . bblOlis anu ~ Ito "olh-ohb tJN/hb'
tary.
1.-THE NEXT STEP.
THAT is the first step, transcending in
immediate importance all others. The
next is to form, in every branch of in
dustry, trade society. There Is no
necessity to enlarge on this topic at this
moment. All we need say is that if
/ l+4In l.rAt e. y,,Arls Of do
will write to the editor Of this paper,
they will at once be given help, advice
and assistance IN forming union.
"The third duty Of every man and
woman who understands the value of
trade unionism, and the irresistible
force Of combined Labor, is to see to it
that, in the metropolis at any rate, Fed
Grafton of Trades shall become a living
reality from the date Of the Dock Com
panies final surrender If SO much has
been done, without organization and
with machinery hastily improvised,
what might not have been done by a
genuine trained cDmbinatlon-by, say
the London Trade Council, mad that
body been a reality and not a sham
For the fact that it H. a sham the blame
. Itdiy rests on every LOhuoH hdue
unionist who has not moved a resolu-
ton in his branch that delegate be
sent to the Council, Every reader of
these lines should attend the next meet
ing of the branch Of his Society and
move such a resolution. If this is done,
in less than a month NJ hole-and-corner
clique will be able to 2 Il the wires, and
The London Trades Cdncii will really
represent the workers cf the greatest
city in the world.