Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-24
LABOR is STRIKING
TO RULE ENGLAND
Purposes Long Cherished, But in Industrial
Strife Bolshevist Perils Loom.
Whole Situation Critical

presentation and spreading of bolshe-
vik propaganda. There are many
firebrands among the British LABOR
ing elements. including NlInan'S,
leader of the dock workers ftooei
$. Smillie and others. likewise nav
seen good in the doctrines OF LEM"
and Trotsky.
DisOrganizatiOn Seen.
If the great strikes actually AZ
ushered in, and more than 2.5o'''o'
workers in three of England mos
important branches of labor walk ou'
and should the struggle become Pr
Ionged there is every reason 70 DC
lieve that organization woulu
suit through the activities of extte"'
list agitators who, seiZlng adVa ma
of the situation, would strive 10 'u' :"
England bolsheViSt.
No greater victory could be expecteu
by Lenin, who considers England anu
America the chief bars against
world International. AS a conse
quence. he has striven, by falr means
and foul. to create situation
by the radicals of England VIII pe
prepared to strike the instant M
labor leaders begin any CLASH W.
the government. TINS rs put Ihu ,,"aell
by the great riot in Whitehall "eek
ago, when 10000 radicals swept GOV
through the heart of London carrSiI
red flags and shouting creeds OF '"e
third internationale.
Coming as it did Immediately upon
the declaration of the coal iliiliei
strike. and composed as it was o.
elements not closely connected Win
the miners, it has served the soNe'u
ment as warning of what IT may eH
pect in case England actuaiiy Is
plunged into darkness occasloheu Wy
a general strike of labor
Lnbor's Position Advantageous.
With England's economic SITUATION
as it is the temper OF the peop.e'
strained as it is, ana S"eepns tba
mands advocated as they are nv
position of labor to win is much pe'
Ter than at any time since the wal
started. There is better chahce %
success in forcing the government ~
meet it at least half way III i.s
mands than ever. but lapoI -
to take advantage of its situation Is
confronted by the heart and soui Oh
the British government, Lloyd George,
who insists that the present iapoI
troubles are a test OF supreme! .
between organized. free government
and labor dictatlon. .o
Either Lloyd George must end tne
str;Le ahornin': must settle II on
terms not detrimental to the prestige
of the government or turn 10 the
neopIe in general elections ana per-
NIT them to decide whether the gov
eminent is to reign triumphant VI
whether any new government Snaii
how 70 the demands of labor. With
strikes on, or in the making. a gen
eral election would be extremely dls-
sdysntaeeous to England at the mo-
ment and would only increase the pit
tarness that surely will follow dlrect
conflict between the government ana
labor.
I.lovd George is preparing for
straieht test of strength. Already
labor leaders are crying that now Is
the time to forever settle the question
as to whether labor is to gain It's
ends. The government is mak1nE
preparations to safeguard the me oi
the country in case the genera
strikes actually materialize. and II
would not be in the least surprising
to see as last resort the taxing over
of many of the nations industries py
the government to operate them un-
der regulations such as preval1eo our
ing the war.
Final Great Issue.
If such a situation eventuates again
the issue will be even more marked.
for the laboring elements OF the ma
ton then would be forced to decide
whether they would submit to draft
into strictly governmental service OF
resist coerciye measures on the part OF
the government. Such SITUATION un.
ENGLAND to a crisis even greater than
at the moment and permit the issue to
he settled irrevocably. The govern
ment either would be sustained IN It's
present form or labor would gain
dominant position such as to insure
labor dictation throughout. With the
firebrands ever lurking in the dusk
behind present labor leaders. there
might arise the question as to wheth,
er they eventually would not succeed
in establishing a rule of the proie-
tariat over so-called bourgeoise.
dream long cherished by many OF the
labor fomentors of the empire.
But however trying the present sit
uation. however dangerous the flu
ture. belief prevails in all quarters
that the good. hard common sense OF
the average Britisher will save the
situation and that England eventually
will be spared the terrible ordeals
that have wrecked Russia and have
gone far toward undermining the in,
ternational good will and financial
prestige Of other of European pow
ers.