New-York tribune., 1918-09-06
Political Labor

A group of loyal American Socialists,
under the auspices of the Social Demo
cratic League, and Samuel Gompers,
president of the American Federation
of Labor, are now in Europe on a
strange, quasi-oficial errand. Their
business is to sell this country's idea of
victory to the pacitist elements in Al
lied countries, especially England. The
merchandise, as we think is irresistible
on its merits; but that is not every
thing. The venders are in a position of
special advantage European socialisnt,
like European finance, has lost its for
mer independence. 1t must be support
ed in America. There can be no sort of
internationalism, ideal or practical, with
the United States left out
And yet, even among Socialists who
think internationally, understanding is
fragile and complicated. 1t seems some
times that they say the same thing in
different words, and then, again, that
very different things are said in the
same words.
a few days ago John Spargo, who is
one Of the members Of the Socialist mis-
sion, had an article in The Tribune say
ing that no trade union in England
could muster a decent pactist minority.
This week the Trades Union Congress
ct Derby adopted resolution calling
for peace parleys as soon as the enemy
shall have evacuated France and Bel
giunl, either voluntarily or under COM
pulsion of force. This is treated in Eng
land as victory for Arthur Hender-
son, leader of the pacifist forces, over
Havelock Wilson, of the Seamen's Union.
The British seamen are the 'bitter end
ers.' They know how to hate the Hun
They havD refused to carry pacifsts out
of Europe on peace errands, even on one
occasion when the government was will
ing that they should 60
Havelock Wilson and Arthur Hender-
son are as far apart as the poles. Will
son is defeated and Hendersons leader
ship of political English labor is thereby
established. That is the opinion of our own
correspondent, Arthur S. Draper, whose
report of the incident appears in another
column. The British Labor party is the
political aspect of organized labor in
England. 1t represents liberalism, in
tellectualism, pacifism and what Have
lock Wilson calls |. w. W-ism by all
It's other names. Yet the Trades Union
Congress in passing the British Labor
'arty's resolution calling for peace par
leys when the enemy has got back to
the Rhine evidently believed that it was
expressing its resolve to go on with the
war to finish. Its leaders said so after
ward. An act which represented the
triumph of the pacifst leader was at the
same time a crushing defeat for pacif-
ism. No wonder Samuel Gompers, being
present, was silent and preoccupied. 1t
is predicted that when he finally un-
burdens his mind he will become un-
popular with that pacifst element in
British labor the existence of which is
denied by John Spargo. British labor
knows very well where Gompers stands.
He is for beating Germany to the bitter
end. He refused to receive British
pacltists in the name of American la
Dor. And probably, also, he knows, or
is learning, that the principal difference
between British and American labor
arises from no disagreement about vic
tory, but from the fact that British la
bor, being political, theoretical and aca-
demic, is ambitious to play great role in
the peace congress. American labor is
unpolitical and practical. There is no
fundamental question of loyalty in either
case. That originates in another way
Perhaps after all the merchandise
which Mr.. Gompers and our own Social
lists took abroad is not as unique as we
think it is.