The Washington times., 1921-05-21
TH0MASSHUNS|
IRISH APOLOGY
British Labor Leader Scorns
Statement Here-PIacarded
As Traitor.
BY MILDRED MORRIS
(Inter na tionai News service.)

/ NlotcHnouOnul News oekVICe.b
81 have no apologies to make to
the Irish." ]. H. Thomas, spokes-
man for the British labor in the
British Parliament and head of the
British Railroad Workers Union,
said here today.
He declared the hostile demonstra-
ton which greeted his arrival in
New York was Irish. and labor had
no part in it.
COMMENTS ON PLACARDs.
Commenting on the placards carried
by the demonstrators denouncing him
as q traitor TO labor because of his
alleged attitude in the British coal
strike and bidding him to remember
the fate OF Judas Iscariot, the British
labor leader said:
| II believe in the freedom Of speech,
therefore I have no criticism to make
| OF the opinions of those who took part
| in the demonstration. Their manner
OF expressing their opinions was more
marked than I appreciated. but l may
say that they left me cold"
According to the British labor
leader. the British labor party, now
second in power. needs the support OF
population to secure control OF the
government.
Mr.. Thomas denied reports that he
has come to advise the American la
Dor party or aid in any way the po-
litical organization Of American work.
ers along the lines Of the British Ia
Dor party.
WILL NOT INTERFERE HERE.
In t~t. % ,A
American workers." he said. "and
wish to make clear that / do not in
tend to interfere in American politics
or make effort to mold the economic
or political policies Of America labor
along the lines taken by British Ia
| bor"
The British labor leader refused to
discuss his action in the British coal
strike, which according to the British
coal miners. prevented the Triple
Alliance from carrying out plans to
declare a general strike.
1T 10 not advisable for me to dis
cuss the coal strike at this time. i
am a member of the English parlia-
ment. you understand, I am a cabinet
minister. the spokesman Of British
labor in the Government, and 1t would
not be proper for me to discuss the
strike until there Is a settlement. for
whatever i may say may have in
fiuence on a settlement"
Asked whether he believed Eng
land on the verge of revolution. he
said:
II shall discuss all that before the
American Federation OF Labor con-
vention in Denver"
"EvERY MOVEMENT REvOLU-
TIONARY.-
would you call the present
tendencies of British labor revolu-
tionary?" he was asked.
Every movement is revolutionary"
he said. Il shall discuess all that in
Denver"
'It has been said that I came to
secure Americas support OF the Ver-
sailles treaty, to make an alliance be-
tween British and American workers.
to prevent the shipment of coal to
England 1t has been said came
here for many things. As a member
of the English Parliament have re-
fused to deny or confirm any of these
things, for whatever i may say one
way or the other would have great
effect because of my position and
might be improperly construed.
Therefore, I refuse to discuss them
at ALL"
"It is damned difficult for me to
say anything" he added.
LABOR WINS CONCESSIONS.
He announced that the British
railroad workers had secured from
the government an agreement that
guaranteed all the concessions won
during the war. This agreement. he
said, will go into effect August 1. II
provides a sliding scale of wages,
which, he explained, insures wage in
creases when the cost of living as
cends and decreases when the cost OF
living goes down. The basic wage,
he said. cannot go below minimum
OF 100 per cent higher than 1t was
before the war.
As president of the international
Federation OF Trade Unions. Thomas,
at the Denver convention of the
American Federation Of Labor is
expected to answer the recommenda
tions of Samuel Gompers that Amer
lean labor secede from the Interna-
tional on the ground that it has Red
tendencies"