The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-04-18
LEADER TELLS
OF PROGRAM
Labor Revolt by British Bolsheviki
Is Not Expected to Spread
Over to the United
States.
IBy Edwin w. Hullinger, United
Press Staff Correspondent


LONDON, April 5.-(By MaiD.-
The United Press today discovered
the seat OF English bolshevism.
Its unofficial capitol is little
paper-cluttered suite OF two tiny
chambers, up three flights OF mar
row. winding stairs from dingy
little blind spur street in the heart
OF London.
Here the national administrative
council, the bolshevist directing body
of the shop stewards movement,
holds its secret sittings.
In one of these rooms, the smaller
OF the two, Billy Watson. Council
Tor and veteran shop stewards lead
er, told the story of English Dol
shevism-told 1t as he stood beside
the caredin fireplace.
1.-THE shop steward movement
arose in England largely from war
conditions" he explained. Dora lthe
Establishments pet name for the de-
tense of the realm act) hobbled the
regular union officials, compelling
them to submit all complaints to
boards OF arbitration. These boards
were generally extremely slow.
Inc anu AnNiA e@S
tually In the shops-got impatient.
The injustices continued during the
delays. They suborganized on their
own responsibility. They elected
shop stewards.
These shop stewards were men
from the bench. They met in work
ing clothes. Delay was just as dis
astrous to them as to their fellow
workers. 80
They acted, while the regular
trade union officials, constitutional
lists Che always pronounced the word
as il 1T carried certain reproach)
waited for arbitration.
when the war ended, the shop
stewards decided not to wait longer.
They began direct action.
I'm the meanwhile these shop
stewards committees in all parts of
the country had been affiliating in a
powerful national socialistic organi-
cation. of which the national admin
istrative council is the head
II do not know whether bolshevism
will spread to America or not" he
continued; perhaps not. Industrial
conditions seem to be better there
than in Europe"
Watson said he worked all day
long in the shop as machinist and
then came up here in his office to-
work late into the night organizing,
planning, arguing for this new boil
shevistic organization he was help
ing to create.
1--WE admit some transitory stage
a
tinued "but our ultimate aim is COM
munism. For instance, our present
fight Is for shorter working hours.
The wage question is not important.
Present wages are satisfactory.
'But we hope eventually to abolish
the wage system altogether for a
communistic exchange Of products.
Lenine intends to develop that in
Russia, you know.
1--WE believe in the bolshevik phi
losophy. 1t is probably true, of
course, that not all of the men strik-
ing today have reached the point Of
subscribing openly to all of this pro-
gram. Many of them do. 4 know it
to be the platform of the leaders of
the shop steward movement"
A tall young woman in a blue ".
A. ID. uniform entered excitedly with
a newspaper telling of riots and the
arrests OF bolshevik agitators.
"They may suppress us for a
while" she cried, her eyes swapping,
but they can't suppress the idea. 1t
| will only blaze out again somewhere
else"
Watson read. smiled, buttoned his
overcoat.
NO" he said deliberately, '4the
idea Is going to play big role In
! the history of England