The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-02-28
Is England Turning Red. +"

When Lloyd George. at the opening
OF the new British parliament, de-
nounces labor's naturalization program
as "a first step toward Bolshevism"
and declares that the threatened gem
eral strike in support of this program
would be regarded as a move for "the
establishment of a soviet" competent
observers wonder II England is on the
verge of serious trouble The present
parliament, elected soon after the vic
tory over Germany strongly supports
the PREMIER but, says the Boston
Transcript Qnd. -Rep.), THE labor
party candidates have shown brilliant
success in II recent parliamentary by
elections and already there is talk of
another general election, in which labor
would hope to obtain majority
We are reminded by the Philadelphia
Inquirer (Rep) that more than a year
ago, when the British coal strike
seemed likely TO paralyze the country,
the premier secured a respite through
the familiar device Of referring the
matter to royal commission" This
commission, the Inquirer says. was
empowered and instructed to investi-
gate the whole situation and to an
, nounce its conclusions within a speci-
fled period Judge Sankey was APP
pointed to preside over its delibera-
tons, and in a report signed by him
and a majority of his associates, ma
But the subject of creating the
commission was to gain time and the
government has not felt bound to ac-
qulesce in its recommendations -
though labor seems to have supposed
otherwise. and is accusing Lloyd George
Of breaking faith Labor readers say
that they will resort to direct action"
that is, to a strike. to force nationalist
ton, To this, Lloyd George answers:
II any attempt is made to convince
hA fafNNNva fN-Nr laWv = = L.
lenge to the whole fabric Of free gov
eminent On such an issue we will
fight them to the death Such action
would not be a strike for wages and
betterment of the conditions of labor,
but for the establishment of a soviet,
and that would mean the end of consti-
tuted government"
This, says the New York Mail (Ind.) T.,
Is IAN ultimatum to the advocates of
direct action which they can not ignore
or evade," and the outcome will be
matter Of profound interest, not only
to Great Britain, but to the world
| For, as the Norfolk Virginian- Pilot
| Qnd Dem.), points out,
1T is not in England alone that the
Bolshevist doctrine Of naturalization of
the means of production Is finding its
misguided disciples. America has her
mists with identical plans for nation
! alizing railways and mines, and stands
much in need of few political leaders
with Lloyd Georges courage to state
an unpleasant conflict badly
The Spokane Spokesman Review
| Gnd. Rep.). likewise thinks the issue
identical with the issue that Mr.. Com
pers has raised in the United States
a political dictatorship aiming at the
management by organized labor of key
! industries" and that precisely the
same. purpose is book of the Plumb
plan" On this ground, declares the
Chicago Evening Post Qnd0, the
stand together"
But would naturalization" really
mean 'sovietism?" The premier s
statement to that effect, says the New
York Globe Gnd.), will bewilder many
Americans, Has the plan been changed
in the past few weeks?" And after re-
calling the hearings of the Sankey
commission and its report favorable to
naturalization by government purchase
the Globe adds that under the circum-
country a definite explanation of his
reasons for believing that nationalist
ton means the beginning of Bolshe-
Vism.' But perhaps he was only using
the pardonable eXaggeration Of a poll.
tician, for he went on to say that state
which the San Francisco Chronicle
Qnd), agrees employees of the public
universally expect from the public
more money for less work than in pri-
vate employment"
Yet, granting for the sake of argu.
ment, that this is true" comments the
Fargo Courier-New (Non-Par. League
1.-THE British miners have not asked
state operation. They have asked state
| ownership, but operation by a partner
ship in which both the government an(
the men themselves shall be repre-
sented the profits of which they shall
share" And this authority believes
such an arrangement would mean tina
the men would work harder.
All this promises exciting times II
British politics, Lloyd George ha,
the demands of the labor party" say
the Sioux City Tribune Gnd), and tn,
Seattle Times Qnd) sees England "oI
the verge of a political change which
will profoundly affect the fortunes o
the two great parties that have gov
trned the country for generations
The Wheeling Intelligencer (Rep), il
impressed by the possibility of a min
istry of representatives of the labo
tDem) regards the political outlook a
decidedly squally." The Greensboro
Daily News Gnd.) quotes labor leade
of parliament as predicting "a nationa
strike within six weeks" The Provi
dence Tribune 0nd. REM thinks it
question how far Lloyd George "can e.
in maintaining a liberal course agains
the present strength Of the labor part,
in the country at large An even NOR
definite prediction comes from the Sal
Lake Tribune Rep):
THE next election will doubtless flint
the battle fought between the labo