The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-03-16
British Aristocracy Gets ANOTHER
Shock When Young Armstrong
Says He Is a syndl-
caIist.
He HAS FIVE NAMES
Still Going to College But Some Day
VIII be In High Circles
and Weld In.
fluence,
by Ed L. Keen, London correspon-

10y Eu. H. heen, LONDON correSpon-
dent of the United Press
LONDON, March 10. Another
member OF the British aristocracy
gone wrong. 1t was shocking enough
for our best circles to learn recently
that the red flag of socialism had
been unfurled In the house OF lords,
through the announcement that Ear,
Russell. near kinsman OF the Duke OF
Bedford who Is one Of England's
wealthiest landlords, and who him
self is possessed of considerable e,
tates in Ireland, had Joined the Fab
Ian society. But now comes a youns
scion Of nobility who gooes Russell
one better.
The Honorable William John Mon
tagu Watson-Armstrong by publicly
declaring his conversion to syndicar
ism. has agitated the whole country,
even though he is not yet out OF col.
lslege. For one of these days, as he .s
the only son and heir of Lord Arm
strong. he too will occupy seat in
the most exclusive near-legislative
body in the world. The Honorable
w. j. M. WA. probably the only
one with five-ply name-doesn't look
the part. Americans who are more
or less familiar with the personality
and facial characteristics of Bill Hay
wood, or of Joe Ettor and Arturo
Giovannitti, would scarcely take this
slight fair-haired. gent1e-eyed, high
browed. mild-mannered youth to be OF
the same economic faith. And u Is
quite as difficult for Britishers, who
have seen his pictures in the papers.
to class him with Kerr Hardie. Tom
Mann and Pen Tillett. Yet he is
quite as advanced a syndicalist as any
Of them.
Deeply impressed by the present
deplorable condition of the working
men Of England-even Of those en-
ployed i'll the great Elswick steel
works ut Newcastle-on-Tyne OF which
his own uncle was the founder-and
with sufficient ability to present his
views clearly and forcefully, young
Watson-Armstrong already promises
to become leader in the movement
which has for its object the owner.
ship and control Of all British indus
tries by the workers themselves. A.
graduate Of Elton. one of England.s
most aristocratic preparatory schools,
he is now in his second year at Trim
ity college, Cambridge. But he has
always been democratic youngster.
and apparently takes real pride in the
fact that the hands on his fathers
estates al Bamburgh Castle and Crar-
side, in Northumberland, all call him
Willie and that he had been able
to convince them that he is really no
better than they are, despite the acci.
dent of birth that put him few
notches higher in the social scale.
He believes not only in the theories
of syndicalism but approves of the
strenuous methods advocated by Its
most militant supporters Asked by
your correspondent to explain his
views, this 2f-year-old, most-talked-
about young man in England today,
said:
How can man lead a clean.
wholesome life and support family
on IS a week, even if he ge.s house
rent, coal and potatoes free, as is the
rule among the Northumberland agri.
cultural laborers? How can man
live at all on SO a week, without free
rent, coal or potatoes. as in Cam.
bridgeshire?. What possible excuse
can there be for coal companies 70
make 40 percen dividends, or for the
Elswick steel dividends to run into
two figures? II is becaustSthe labor
ing men of England are not getting
their share, and because low wages,
high prices. high rents. and class dis.
tinctions are DESTROYING the nation,
that am a syndicalist
Industrial England should consist
of huge unions which would them
selves own as well as operate the In
dustries. Then there would he no
wastage of the result of toll, and the