New-York tribune., 1919-05-24
British Labor and the War
Mary Macarthur Discusses New Book
By Arthur Gleason and P. Kellogg


making of it.
1t is ambitious because > it aims at
being nothing less than an industrial
and political history of England during
the four and a half years of war
years when events marched rapidly and
when the foundations of new world
we're being painfully formulated in the
minds of men.
OF course, the authors do not quite
succeed Such histories are not writ
ten before the results which it is
sought to portray have emerged from
| the crucible of time.
But it is tremendous achievement,
nevertheless to have produced this book
1t will go long way toward satisfying
the eager desire which ! have found
among all classes here to understand
recent developments in the social and
economic life of England.
The authors have certainly succeeded
in presenting to their readers graphic
moving picture of the leading spokes
men and statesmen of the British labor
world, and their portrayal not only of
the lineaments but the minds and meth
DDS of the men show an insight which
is for the most part little short of
miraculous.
During the years covered labor held
many vital conferences, and these are
painted with bold sweeping brush and
with much fine detail pen work inset.
If the book has fault it is that
it repeats itself. The quotations are
we'll chosen and enlghtenng, but there
are too many of. them. One feels that
more careful editing and more time
would have produced a less voluminous
and equally informed work.
The pen pictures of the personali-
ties-some of them almost photo
graphic-are so vivid and lifelke that
one regrets the omissions from the
series of such striking figures as Davie
Kirkwood and McManus, the rebel shop
stewards of the Clyde. One misses
also leading power behind the scenes
Beatrice Webb She is not even men
toned. 1t is clear that among the
many privileges that were undoubted-
ly extended to Mr.. Gleason and Mr..
Kellogg during their stay in England
participation in the momentous con-
claves which take place in the little
house on the embankment behind
Westminster Abbey was not included.
Otherwise their eagle eyes could not
have overlooked the hostess and her
significance.
Their gallery lacks, too, the young
est, the most radiant, and, by the
shop Stewards, best beloved, of all the
labor members of Parliament c.
Anderson-latel lost to us, but leav-
ing voice and vision still in thousands
of rank and file followers
The pen picture by inference, as it
might be called, Of jim Middleton, the
assistant secretary of the Labor party
Arthur Henderson's righthand man
is, to the initiated, one of the best
things in the book. The least success
full portrait is that Of Litvinor, the
Bolshevist Ambassador. Indeed, in this
picture | find the only evidence of
prejudice in the book, which otherwise
is a marvel Of impartiality. Litvinoff is
described as a "stocky, heavy-set Rus
sian Jew, with the glasses of a student
and the heavy jaw of street speaker. ."
and, later, emphasis is again laid on
the "street corner character of his
oratory.
This does not at all convey the
highly intellectual and scholarly man
with his background of books and pict-
ures married to a niece of a dis
tnguished English scholar and man of
letters-the man who occupied during
several tense months the embarrassing
position of half recognized representa-
tive of unhappy Russia.
Here was no street corner tub
thumper. I doubt if he ever stood on
a soap box in his life. And the British
government has surely enough to
answer for without adding the arrest
Of Litvinotf to its many authentic
folies.
Litvinoff was certainly refused per
mission to leave the country. His mail
and telephone We're under constant su.
pervision-but SO were those of many
law-abiding British citizen-but he
was never actually under arrest
He certainly received measure OF
semi-offjcial recognition. [ remember
his telling me, with a chuckle, how he
had been requested to wise the pass
port of Mr.. Lockhart when sent b,
Mr.. Lloyd George personally on a
ulpioLHdIlC mission 10 Russia, ana tOl
whom, by the irony of circumstance
the British Government afterward ex.
I changed Litvinoff.
But this is depression and perhap.
ungracious cavilling
The last chapter, "Toward Democ
racy and Reconstruction" is an admis
sibe summing up. 1t indicates the
tremendous spirit of revolt agains
things as they are, which is shaking
the labor world to-day, and explain,
why we not only hope but believe tha
great changes can come without socia
or industrial upheaval