Arizona republican., 1919-10-22
HOW NEARLY ENGLAND
 CAME TO REVOLUTION |S TOLD BY VISITOR

How very near there was revolution in England through industrial and la- bor unrest and near-revolutionary strikes was described to the Rotary club yesterday by A. F. Whyte, the youngest member of the British par liament, who is in the United States seeking information concerning this country at first hand and who was in Phoenix to deliver an address last n ght at the high school auditorium.
 Clearly, concisely and frankly, the speaker recited conditions and ele- nents that controlled dur ng those
 ritical days Whe1 the B sh empire was so near political disaster.
 MT. Whyte was introduced to the members by D. B. Heard, whose guest the visitor was during his stay in Phoenix. MT. Heard stated that he recently had a letter from William AL len White telling about meeting this gifted Englishman in Europe last year and of being very much impressed with him. Learning that he was to come to the United States, he invited him to visit him in Emporia. It was through William Allen White that the English editor was secured for a visit to Phoenix.
 Last March and again in June, said MT. Whyte at the Rotary meeting, Europe was within a hairbreadth of being thrown into revolution by the so- called triple alliance, an alliance of the three great groups of organized labor, the railroad men, the transport work CTS and the miners. But there was one underlying factor that carried the na- tion through it's most critical period of national file, and that was public opinion.
 The speaker described the parlia- mentary election of 1918, the first held in nine years through suspension of the regular elections during the war. He explained that there were three primary causes for the development of the labor disturbances and the la bor power, first, the dilution of un- skilled with skilled labor, the cause of conditions brought about during the war; second, the increasing cost of living necessitating demands and pres ure for securing more wages; third, | the development of a revolutionary spirit influenced by the Russian rev olution.
 The nation, he said, was put to a critical test between revolution and order. He told of a strong. current surging over there in favor of intel ligently led labor parties and an equal | ly strong current and perhaps stronger, l against revolutionary action and rev. | olutionary control. As a whole, the l speakers talk was encouraging and | full of hope because this critical period | in Europe has shown that public | opinion must eventually control ana that public opinion is always for law and order instead of revolution.
 Last night MT. Whyte made his last appearance of the day before a large and appreciative audience that filled the high school auditorium. While quiet in manner, with few gestures MT. Whyte impressed his listeners as a very good speaker, and he held his hearers closely throughout.
 The profound changes wrought in Britain during the war, the Irish question and the English labor situa- ton were the three main topics touched upon by MT. Whyte in his evening address. His points were made clearly and his talk gave the audience a comprehensive impression of the conditions in Britain today
 Among the changes that have been brought about in Britain by the wal Mr Whyte mentioned the electoral system, changes in which have beer brought about in recent years so that the number of voters is greatly in- creased, numbering now about 1S,000,- 900, including women, to whom cleo toral privileges have been given.
 The Irish question was comprehen- sively dealt with by Mir Whyte, wht said that the chief trouble in the Irisf problem before the war was not SC much Irish as the opposition among the strong conservative element il England opposed to Home Rule. Now however, such great changes have beer brought about that sentiment in Eng land is now for Home Rule.
 In 1914, at the outbreak of the war said the speaker, the Home Rule bill in it's last stages, was allowed to gt over on the theory that the war would not last long. Now, however, he said sentiment has veered about so muci that the Home Rule given Ireland would be much more liberal.
 MT. Whyte said that he had no doub
 but that measure would be passed
 which would solve the Irish question The speaker talked very clearly O the labor situation in Britain, and toll of the part it is taking in politics. Tn , IdDOr party, ne Sdld, was not the QOm
 inant party and probably would not be
 come so as it does not contain sui , ficient men of importance to make i the dominating element.
 After MT. Whyte's address the chair man of the meeting, Dwight B. Heard ; stated that the distinguished membe [ of parliament and editor would answe 5 questions. Several queries were ac
 cordingly put to MT. Whyte, all o which he answered in a clear and sat isfactory way.
 There was no man in Phoenix nor
 anxious to meet MT. Whyte than Pete
 Robertson. MT. Robertson is intensel
 Scotch and is inclined to resent tn
 giving of credit to the English, not tn
 British, for whatever belongs to tn , Scotch. He did not believe that NJ I Whyte was English as had bee stated.
 , T believe" said Mir Robertson befor , he met MT. Whyte, that he is Scotc md that he came from the same par of Scotland I did" That belief wa , confirmed when MT. Robertson was in , troduced to MT. Whyte. Both wer t born in Edinburgh and the fathers ( !. both came down to Edinburgh fror Kerriesmuir.
 f -O-