The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1918-08-31
AMERICAN and BRITISH g.. >:= :.
lABoR'S war POLICIES
Differ ONLY BY Ocean
Prevails in Some English Labor
Quarters, But Majority Is For Winning War
IL; at Any Prce-Labor Fully Omitted.
BY ARTHUR GLEASON
(In the Survey

determined to win the war, to smash
the German military power, and to
establish a democratic peace. It is
giving leadership to the whole indus
trial wage-earntng population, in
Guiding about two-fifths Of the people
In Great Britain. It is at one in its
determination with the main body
of public opinion in the remaining
three-fifths Of the population. But
there Is this differences: that the
British labor movement ia q compact
group with a program and philoso-
ply of its own and, therefore, with
a unified influence which the other
elements OF the community do not
possess. 4
Keep Step With British.
In order to win the war swiftly
and thoroughly we in America must
keep step with the British labor
movement. We must aid it's patriotic
liberal leaders to, hold it steadily
in line to the one supreme job Of de-
stroying the German military power
On April ~, a significant election
lor parliament was held in an indus.
trial center. It was the Keighley
division of Yorkshire. The coali-
ton candidate, w. H. Somerville, re-
ceived 4,s73 votes. w. Bland, of the
Independent Labour party, standing
on a platform of peace by negotia-
ton, received 2,349 votes. That poll
ing is believed by labor leaders to be
representative Of public opinion in
the industrial population.
Only one-third (and probably less
than one-third, as this Yorkshire
vote included the radical element of
the industrial population) is in favor
Of peace by negotiation at this mo-
ment. Only half of that third Cor
one sixth of the industrial popula-
tion) is vehemently in favor of call
ing the war off. At least two-thirds
Of the labor movement supports, not
the government policy (Mr. Somer-
veil had criticized several items of
government policy in his campaign
ing), but the policy of waging the
war determinedly by the military Of
fensive and the political offensive.
Must Understand Policy.
This keighley election is the latest
proof that American public opinion
must reinforce Mr.. Henderson, Mr..
Thomas. Mr.. Clynes and the other
leaders, in their effort with two
thus behind them) to hold the labor
movement in strong united front.
The way to help them is to under
stand their policy. Their policy is
not peace-at-any-price. It is not
negotiated peace with a victorious
Germany. 1t is a policy of winning
the war by using the diplomatic wea-
pom as well as the military weapon.
British labor desires no secret
treaties. It regards President Will
son, in his utterances of recent
months. astthe interpreter of it's pol
icy. in way that no other govern
ment head has been.
When the labor members of the
American delegation were enter
tanned in the house of commons on
April II by the British Labour party,
Arthur Henderson (head of the Brit
ish Labour party) said to them:
Not. Aims, But Methods.
ANY difference between Ameri-
can and British labor does not affect
aims, but methods. We sought an
opportunity of inviting German
social democracy to assist in the
great task of reconstructing civiliza-
ton on the basis of a righteous and
enduring democratic peace. ..
Americans are opposed to a German
victory; so are we. American labor
considers that the objects in view
can alone be attained by a decisive
military victory; British labor seeks
to reinforce military operations by q
wise and discriminating use of the
moral and political weapon"
One Of the members in our Amer
lean delegation visiting the Clyde
said to the engineers and shipbuild-
ers, addressing himself to one of the
shop stewards (who represent pow
erful movement toward workers. con-
trol):
'We've heard a. lot about you
chaps. and we know Of some Of your
difficulties; but your job today is to
beat the Hun first and to settle your
working difficulties afterwards
Americans Call Them.
This sounded like a lecture" to
the Clyde workers, who volunteered
in such numbers at the beginning Of
the war that the government has
been trying ever since to recall them
from the trenches.
And another American delegate
addressed a. group of Clyde workers,
saying:
How. in the name of God, can
those who dove democracy think of
comforting with Germans who have
committed such horrible outrages
against innocent women and chill
dren?"
The wide gap in understanding be-
tween the British Labour party and
the American Federation Of Labor is
due to the three thousand miles in
distance and not to difference in
aims. This is illustrated by the diff
ference of opinion on the procedure
Of taking part in an international Ia
Dor conference. There is small ques-
ton that an exchange Of open
minded delegates from both sides of
the water would result in this ques-
ton of method being seen as subor-
d1nate to agreement on the common
program of allied labor as to the
purpose and prosecution OF. the war.
British labor has shown it's readiness
to meet American labor halfway on