The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-09-08
ARrHuR HEMpERsoN,s MEssAoE


Arthur Henderson. parliamentar
loader Of the British labor party an
commonly accounted as probable pre-
nier In case OF that party's success
sent a message of greeting to the work
ers OF this country on Labor day whicl
evifces a much broader and more lib
erai spirit than usually characterize
class organizations. The following par
agraphs, taken from the opening state
ments furnishes the key to the entirt
! address:
Never before in the history OF or,
ganized working class movements hal
there been such a clear recognition Of
the interdependence OF popular inter.
ests as today.
Peace has always been one OF IN,
foremost aims OF the workers.
War between peoples and war be.
tween different sections or classes OF
the same people are destructive occur.
rences and destructive action, whether
It be called war or revolution, is an
empty, misleading and costly substitute
for peaceful constructive effort.
There is no sharp. short and royal
road to the reign OF universal freedom,
material prosperity. and social ana In
tellectual happiness.
THE only sure path demands con-
certed efforts from the workers Of all
countries along constructive lines"
These are significant words all of
them. What Is said OF the interde-
pendence Of popular interests Is espe-
ciolly fine. The interests Of the people
are one. and the people. as a whole,
cannot prosper so long as certain
classes fatten at the expense Of others
or. where there is perpetual class war;
fare. Peace" is Just as necessary for
tho worker as for the balance OF so.
ciety. Wars between peoples, sections
or classes are essentially destructive,
as Mr.. Henderson points out. They cam
net be substituted for constructive ef-
fort without disaster.
Mr.. Henderson is not revolutioniat.
He has the good hard sense to see and
know that Utopia cannot be attained at
n single bound-that freedom and pros
perity and happiness are only TO be
reached through a process OF evolution.
There is no royal road, the only path
lying along the line OF constructive eff
fort. Elevating one class at the exnensa
or another Is not real prosperity. Ad-
vance Of all through mutual oo-onera-
ton Is the true democratic ideal sug-
gested by Mr. Henderson.
BY parity Of reasoning. Mr. uendor-
son IL also OF opinion that no one coun-
try-no more than one class--oan nd
vance alone to the ideal state OF ex-
istence There must be more or less
concert OF purpose and cooperation In
realizing national aims. Mr.. Henderson
mas reached these conclusions by means
OF his experience with the British labor
movement and by the study OF such
similar movements everywhere. He
declares that II is only by the united
eHorts OF all people that peace can BIO
maintained.
The British labor movement, as de-
scrlped by Mr.. Henderson, stands for
All VINO work, whether by hand or brain
NOT merely the members of labor or.
CARNATIONS 1t seeks to improve the
cohdition or all rather than one class.
IL wants to aid every one who is con-
llDuting by his efforts to the common
welfare. This is splendid IDEAL but
one which is not universally lived up
10 In Industrial contentious. It. reflects
truly democratic conception Of the
situation Concluding his message, Mr..
Henderson declares:
The united democratic forces Of Eng
iahd ana America have n splenGld OPP
portuhity or working hand in hand: they
may strengthen democracy Mt homo and
nelp 10 extend Its boundaries abroad:
they may exert a considerable and
btnefieent influence for peace through.
our the world, and quicken the march
OF peoples along the road OF construc-
i've progress to the goal which all dem
ocratic peoples have SGT themselves.
i hope the great festival OF American
labor may be the occasion for reafiirm-
ing the friendship which oxigts between
tnr English ana American workers, and
lhht IL may serve TO strongthen the
bonds which link them In common
mission to secure peace for the world,
ana the greatest measure OF freedom,
prosperity and happiness for the
people"
As observed in the ouset, such a
pfehdth OF outlook Is distinctly encour-
aging IL serves to promote co-opera-
i've constructive effort instead OF de-
structive and revolutionary methods. 1t
CONSIDERS tho interests Of the whole
people instead of particular class.
lhcre Ia little room to quarrel with
suoh program except on the part OF
tnose who are trying TO fatten Off OF
others The true basis Of Industrial
peace Hes In the oblIteration Of class
interest--a truth which Arthur Hender-
scr has apparently sensed,
There is little menace in a move
mont which can make It's appeal 10
everybody and which seeks 10 promote
Its ends through careful persistent edu-
cation of tho people, Its processes viii
necessarily be gradually worked out and
adopted az tho people are ready to
grasp them.