Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-25
LABOR AND CAPITAL WILL
BATTLE IN PARLIAMENT
copyright. 1906, by Curtis Brown.)


Special Correspondence Of The Star
LONDON, February Is, 1906
Labor has thrown down the gauntlet to
capital in England. Political leaders who
are anything hut alarmists admit that a
fierce struggle Is about TO be lnaugurated
I'm the house of commons-a fight of vested
interests against communism and public
capital iu England. Political leaders who
control.
on the one side are the great landed
ruouopoIies. holding between them literally
millions OF acres Of English soil; the great
railway systems controlling millions of
dollars. and ramlfyIng through every sec
ton OF The country; the owners of the coal
mines the canals, water and gas COM
panlss-iu fact every source Of wealth in
the hands OF private individuals. AS Eng
land is one Of the richest countries IN the
world practically untold wealth will exert
It's uttcrmost power TO preserve Its exist
ence
on The other side are the forces of labor
lined up and generated as they never have
been before perhaps, i'm the history of the
world Backed by millions Of the working
classes. representing the trades unions
throughout the country, and led by skilled
paT!iameutariaus. controlling, at the same
time sufficient monetary power TO enable
them TO dght without feeling the eXigencies
OF want-such as would be their. fate in
strikes and 'Iockouts' the forces Of labor
are not TO be ignored.
The new liberal government has already
committed itself 20 several Of the important
p,auks OF the labor Platforms, for In
stance. the taxation of land values, and
other as revolutionary measures will be
brought before the house OF commons as
soon as the opportunity presents Itself
Iuvesto r5 are naturally looking to the
house OF lords to checkmate the great
measures which may be passed by the lib
eral and labor parties combined Whether
the house OF lords Will go down under the
strain or the iucessant bOmbardment 10
which it win he subjected remains to be
seen.
In order 20 give an authoritative fore
cast OF the labor program in the next par
liamcnt the writer recently obtained the
views of the most prominent leaders
among the movemcnt-such as Keir Hardie
Philip Suowdcn-the "Robespiere of the
labor revolution as Some have called him
y Ramsey Macdonald, organizer OF the
forces OF labor, and others.
The Nte stories Of most OF these men read
Ike pages from sensational romance. OF
the ffty representatives of labor who will
SIT .u the new parliament all but half a doz-
en- were horuy-hauded and hard-fisted sons
OF toll. Brcklayer stonemason, coal miner,
st1kcr. factory hand, printer. newsbOy, en-
Eiue driver. dock laborer, these are the va
rious callings from which they have risen
by a combination OF physical fitness, en-
durauce and brain power.
The most outspoken among the leaders is
Kerr Hardy. who began life In coal mine.
Millions In this country" he said, ARE
STEPPED in poverty, while millions more are
but one degree removed from il. While the
useful class toll and suffer, the owners OF
land and capital are heaping up untold
wealth. Great accommodations OF wealth men,
ace our liberties. control the great London
organs OF the press. lead us into wars
abroad and poison the wells OF public life
at home. Landlordlsm and capitalism are
the upper and neither millstones between
which the life OF the common people is be-
ing ground to dust. For these reasons
have taken an active interest for many
years in building up an independent labor
party separate and distinct from any mere
IL political organization. The immediate OBJ
tect of the labor party is TO create a driv-
ing force in politics which Will overcome the
Inertia OF politicians In regard TO social re-
forms. and give the nation a strong. true
lead on the path that makes for national
Righteousness"
Such Is Kerr Hardie's platform: and that
It is not altogether chimerical is attested
by the fact that his independent labor party
has more than 100 branches and numbers
among its workers thousands OF members