The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-05-07

lis for the Trade Union Congress and
the British Labor Party to merge
so closely allied are the political
aspirations and the bureaucracy Of
the two organizations.
The revolutionary elements within
the Trade Unions-The Shop Ste
wards and Workers Committees-are
widely scattered, indefinite in their
objective, with unformulated policies,
and lacking in the practice of the
adoption of revolutionary princi-
pies to immediate circumstances.
The failure of the Trade Union
bureaucracy to act in the critical
hours of our working class history
brought the extra-union organiza-
tions in their various forms into ex-
istence. This was overwhelmingly the
case during the war. Since that time,
with the passing of those extreme
circumstances, the bureaucracy has
become stronger rather than weaker
making more and more necessary the
development of means for combating
their reactionary power and in
fluence.
We are now beginning the third
sphere of our development as revo-
lutionary factors in the history OF
British Unionism. The first phase
was that of propagandists Of indus
trial unionism and amalgamation OF
the unions.
The second was characteristically
the period of action, the attempt tt
adapt industrial-union principles tc
the immediate struggle, and to take
on the direct responsibility for the
conduct of the fight against the
bosses and the State. In this fight
we did not conduct the struggle 81
much against the officials, but rather
ignored them and fought the employ
ing class directly.
The conditions obtaining during the
war period were particularly favor
able to this kind of activity. The en-
trance to the third phase is marked
by a complete change in the OBJ
jective situation. The officials can
not now be ignored. They have tt
be fought. The employing class ant
its State machine have become more
aggressive than ever, and instead o.
shortage of labor we are facet
with enormous unemployment. 81
great are the changes, and so man!
have been the new factors introduced
into the situation that we must Civ
them closer attention, in order II
appreciate the various theses befor
the Conferences.
Up to we'll within the war period
the British working class movement
in spite of the class character, re
Elected the imperialism Of its mas
ters. Politically, it was not clas
CONSCIOUS. 1t made considerable dis
tinction between politics and union
| ism, turning it's nose up contempt
ously at politics and limiting tn
unions to affairs of wages, condi
tions, etc. This state Of mind foun
its counterpart even in the revolu
tionary movement, being divided int
industrialists and politicians. Eve
the Revolutionists belonging to
political party failed to make tn
party keep its membership from ac
tivities as industrial leaders. Tn
role of the political party was neve
really grasped. The industrialist'
Idisgusted with the sectional figh
of the unions, were divided int
amalgamationists and those VIII
wished to destroy the unions an
build new ones of new form an
character.
Internationalism was phrase-mor
gering, very, very few in any pa,
of the movement realising its in
portance, and less applying it as
basic principle for action. Cons'
quently the war broke with a NOV
ment absolutely incapable Of offel
) ing resistance. But the rapidity
, the changes forced in every dire
ton, Immediately began the dew
! lopment of the movement in an III
looked-for manner.
For the first time in our histor
unemployment was quickly swel
! away. Trade Union regulations al
Trade Union officialism were MAJ
subordinate to the Government. II
!: Imperialist war forced the polite
! issues upon the unions, and cut fro
heneath their feet any further DIR