Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-25
BR|1|SHLABORB0DY
HASPOu|T|CAL AIMS
Party Conference Consider.
ing Industrial Action to
Force Concessions.
By the Associated Prsss.

BY the Associated Press.
SOUTHPORT, England, June Is
The main interest of the outside world
in the nineteenth annual conference
Of the labor party. which opens in
Southport today. lies in the question
before it of using Industrial action to
secure political aims. An influential
section Of the leaders Of the triple Al
lance Of miners. railwaymen and
transport workers has long been In
favor of exercising the power OF the
alliance to compel compliance with
the demands for the abolition Of con-
scription. the withdrawal Of troops
from Russia, the release Of conscien-
sought. These leaders were deeply
disappointed at their recent failure to
induce the parliamentary committee
of the trade union congress to call
special conference of the trade unions
to discuss the proposals.
Was Independent Movement.
The action taken by the executive
of the triple alliance last night in
deciding to convene a special confer
ence in London July 20 to consider
what action should be taken to COM
pei the government to comply with
the three principal demands men
toned was a step independent of to-
days conference. The action taken
by the London conference. however.
will be materially affected by the at
titude Of the present conference. at
advocates OF industrial and consti-
tutional methods. respectively, of
achieving the aims will be discussed
from every angle TN the debate on
the various resolutions and amend
ments before the body. az it 10
vergence Of opinion among the labor
men on the question.
Importance Is Conceded.
The far-reaching importance Of any
decision placing in tho hands Of the
Industrial unions the power to en-
force political demands by means OF
strikes is recognized by the executive
committee of the labor conference,
which. in a report to be presented to-
day. expresses the view that If labor
is to institute such a precedent in
British Industrial history 1t is i'm
perative that the trade unions which
adopt the new policy, and whose
finances presumably should be in.
VOWED in carrying IL out, SnOuIo re-
alize the responsibility which such a
movement entails and should them.
selves determine the ground plan OF
the new campaign.
The executive body itself does not
make any declaration for or against
the proposal, leaving discussion un-
fettered.
With other matters awaiting the
attention Of the conference Is the
organization Of labor in anticipation
Of the next general election. which
in the opinion Of many observers Is
not far distant.
Foreign Delegates Present.
Many foreign delegates are in at
tendance at the conference. including
Camille Huysmans Of Belgium. HAL
mar Branting Of Sweden, PETER ].
Troelster of Holland and the French
socialists, Leon Jouhaux, Pierre
Renaude1 and M. Desmoulin. The
reason for the exclusion from Eng
land Of Deputy Jean Longuet. leader
of the French minority socialists, and
NJ Fressard. general secretary of the
French socialist party. who were
stopped by the authorities at Folke-
stone on their way to the conference,
has not yet developed.