Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-01-18
LABOR is IN ACCORD.
British Workers Send Message to the
Russians.


British Workers Send Message to the
Russians.
The British labor party. in mes
sage to the Russian people made pub.
lie this week. announced that the
British people accept the Russian
principle OF self-determination Of
peoples and no anncXations for the
British empire. particularly IN the
middle east. Africa and India.
The message. which was issued by
the labor party in conjunction with
the parliamentary committee of the
trades union congress. says;
we have reached Il crisis in the
war. The negotiations 1T Brest-
| Litovsk have been interrupted be-
cause the Germans have refused tu
admit the principle of self-determlna =
ton Of peoples and the doctrines oil
no anncXations In thus acting. the
Central powers are speaking clearly
i'm the name of militariSt state.
In this crisis the British people
must speak because the Russians can
only succeed in their great and peril
Gus task if supported by the people
everywhere. The British people must
proclaim to Russia and the Central
powers that its aim is identical with
RusSia's. that we, too, see no solution
.,f n,ist, f.
determination and no indemnities.
In applying this Russian prin-
ciple TO our c;lse. we are conscious oil
the problem raised. but we do not
shrink thercfrom. The British peo-
pie accept the principle Of no annex
ations for the British empire. This
applies in our case 10 the middle east.
Africa and India.
We wish 10 remind the Russian
people that Great Britain. taught by
the .2ss Of the American colnnies IN
the eighteenth century, was the first
modern state to grant complete self
determination to any group Of its in
habitants. for example, the Domin-
Ons Of Canada. Australia. South Afrl-
ca and New Zealand. We accept the
principle also for India and other de-
pendcncics of the British empire,
though we believe that the record in
the British government here gives lit
tie occasion for reproach.
we intend to meet this by more
rapid Development OF sclf-govern-
mcnt. We respect the sovereign in
dependence Of the Turkish people in
their national home. but we believe
that the domination Of their govern
ment over other peoples is him
drancc to their own national develop
ment.
Our government is pledged to some
of those peoples, Arabs, Palestinians,
Armcnians-that the Ottoman rule
shall not again be imposed on them.
This responsibility should be under
taken by the peace conference and a
permanent international organization
/ that we hope will be there consti-
tuted.
In tropical Africa we repeat our
remuneration of annexations. Nobody
contends that the black races can
govern themselves. They can only
make il known that the particular
government under which they have
| been living Is bad in some or all re-
spccts and indicate the specific evils
from which they desire liberation
We believe that the peace conference
would well advise to place all tropi-
cal Africa under uniform internation-
al control.
I'VE adjure the peoples Of Central
| Europe to declare themselves OF
make their governments speak fol-
| them in answer to Russia and our
selves. We call on them to renounce
annexations in Europe with the same
good faith in which we are renounc-
| ing them in Asia. We call on them
10 give the same self determination
to the French, Austrian. Italian. Pol
sh and Danish members of their
states as Russia has given to Finland
| courtland. Lithuania and Russian
Poland"
The manifesto concludes:
The family interests Of dynasties
or the desire of the German. Austri-
an and Magyar governing classes to
dominate other classes and national
tiles. must no more be suffered tc
prevent self-determination in central
Europe. and thereby imperil IT In
Europe or a whole, than the Interests
of British Imperialism or British cap
italism must be suffered to do else
| where"
| Peoples Of central Europe: This
catastrophe of the human race, this
fatal schsm in the civilized world car
only be ended by the defeat Of mill
tarism on both sides and by the VIC
tory on both sides Of moral and in
lectual fair dealing. II the world Is
to be saved. it must be saved by good
faith and reciprocity on the part oi
all. Do not fail us now. Do not lei
your governments drive the British
people, as they are driving the Rus
sian people. into the terrible choice
between continuing the war and
abandoning the only principles that
can save the world.
III this choice Is forced upon US
we shall choose, as Russia chose. We
shall continue. but ,e responsibility
will be yours"