The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-11
workers Are Suspicious.

workers Are Suspicious.
Inquiries Of members OF the Labor
urion Congress and in labor quarters
reveal that while most OF the leaders re-
gard Mr.. Lloyd Georges speech as a
serious eye opener which ought to he
useful there Is widespread uneasiness
among the ranks of the trade unionists.
Who are profoundly suspicious OF the
employers and distrust the Governments
assurances that union privileges will be
restored after the war. This disquietude
exists in some trades n in some dis
'-!cts more than in others. II Is no. to
be questioned that great numbers OF
workers are doing their utmost 10 in
crease the output of munitions.
George Lansbury. the b leader.
answered the question "What Is the
natter with the laboring men of Great
B-,ain?" In conversation with an inter-
viewer.
The working men OF Great Britain
A.. striking because they believe their
patriotism is being exploited" he said.
70 was recently in a little town In
Wales, where the villagers were paying
are shillings more a ton for coal than
they had paid before the war and the
Sages Of the miners In that town had
no, been advanced "A penny. Bread In
England has risen almost 100 per cent.
IN price, but the farmer is getting no
more for his wheat. nor the baker for
Ms labor. 1t is the greed OF the EN-
rloying classes that the British uAions
are hghting."
Are the unions against the war;" the
Interviewer asked.
NO. They are not. They have shown
tha, by their attitude at this congress.
Ire British unions would welcome an
honorable peace. But on the other
hand. II the Germans ever put a foot
on British soil there woul be such
an uprising in England as the worlc
has never seen before. Women and
children would rise and fight"
Are the British unionists in favor OF
helping France""
They don't understand the French
situation. You know this Is the first war
IN the history of the world In which
he working men of Europe have been
able 10 read n write. At the time
q the Fashoda incident the English
newspapers and statesmen attacked the
French mercilessly and the union men
read those attacks and remembered
them, A few years z the Kaiser came
10 England and the newspapers lauded
him IN the skies. The .laboring men
" England read this praise. and they
ave l Nplkplltu IT, lHcy I1isti ust "
that they read now, because they have
memories. The British working man is
no longer the unreasoning. unread clod
mat he was a century ago. but there
are some classes In England who do
not realize this fact"
England doing Enough"
why is the enlistment of working
men not larrrr?'
The British working men say that
England is doing enough as 1t is. They
say that the world cannot expect Eng
and 10 do the fourth thing, on top of
All the rest she has one and is doing
What do you mean by the fourth
4 thlnS'?'
The first thing England had to do
- 10 clear the seas. She did this.
me second was T. supply money. She
nd that. The third thing was to sup
py ammunition, and she Is doing that.
- order to keep the fleet going and
" Keep money coming In n am
muhRion on hand the British work
.nshan has got to work. The fourth
.hhg as the working men ave come
cal It, II to supply men. The
nn'lsh ~workingman Is cursed because
!" does not enlist. but he cannot work
anu nght TOO. England has supplied ten
umeS more fighting men than she bar
salhed Tor, and the British working men
Nno" H. How can Great Britain supply
al the things hat are demanded OF her
'"u tn"n supply more men In addition?
me British union man knows hat
ne" England is going TO be born out
tnls war, The old England is passing
mere are certain classes in Eng
ahH that are trying. amid the ex-
,t"eueft OF the war, 10 take from
Nv working men the rights they have
S"ru during years of struggle. But
Nv e working man is determined to hold
".Ss rights at the greatest cost.
nrlnsh union men know hat Ger
many Is not going TO be crushed they
mOw mat England Is o going to be
hasned they believe that a new and
80 er civilization, with more liberty for
Io"er classes Of all the countries
rerned' Is going to grow out of this
. " We didn't believe that we'd
'ease our efforts"