New-York tribune., 1921-03-13

political force. which he describe, ma,
be roughly divided into three period.
First, there is the epoch o. cb,r.:s
when the miserable and povertv.s..,.,
en- working class concentrated it, 49,
ton upon securing universal manho.'
suffrage. This now seems vsr,, ~,
and reasonable demand, but in tbs -.
and '40's Of the last century nr;,-.,s' W.
suffrage was considered SYNONYMS
with social revolution, both BY il, ~
vpcates and its opponents.
OCOnnor and Loyeft
The two chief leaders of tho c.
movement were Fergus O'Conuor .rs
William Lovett. O'Connor wac so~'
thing Of demagogue; he cons.o,.,-
clustered about appealing to nbv.;..,
sorce to coerce the government =,
though it should have been oh,,;.--
that the unframed, ignorant and :.
derfed workers were 10 match f.,
government solidly supported bv e..
middle and upper classes and abl. :.
employ large bodies Of discinl;,..
troops to repress disorder. Lovett ~,
less sensational and mora s,ro.-
Chartism, as political mov.ra..
died away after l84s. Its fundame,tsI
principles were gradually adopted ui.,
the passage Of successive electora, >.
torn acts, but universal suffrage did
not bring the catastrophe result,
which had been anticipated.
The thirty years following tn. eol.
lapse Of Chartism constitute q period
OF sterile apathy, 30 far as distinc.i,..
~ working class political activity !.
concerned. The economic condition,
OF labor improved, and Gladstone ",
able to win over the large majority ~
the newly enfranchised workers IN n.
Liberal camp.
After 1880 Great Britain's commen.
clal prosperity commenced to fee, n.
menace of German and American com.
\ letltlon, the workers began to feel ,hs
pinch of hard times, and the need d.
Cirect labor representation in par,,..
ment was increasingly felt. After
of abortive tentative efforts
the present Labor party was formed.
Stcadfastly pursuing a policy Of seek.
Ing immediate social reforms and ulti.
mate moderate socialism through
p' aceful and democratic methods, this
PARTY has consistently increased in
and political influence I'd to
the present time.
British Socialism Analyzed
Mr.. Beers work is notable helm
,oward understanding the peculiar
quality of British socialism. 1t fol-
ows the bent of the national mind.
which is empirical and practical, rather
han strictly logical and theoretical.
The MARKHAM doctrine of the class
struggle has never been formulated
~ the leaders of the British Labor
'arty with the clear and uncompromis-
ng definiteness which characterizes
he pronouncements of the Continental
Socialists. On the other hand, It has
Produced fewer specimens of that
amiliar type, the statesman who
tarts out as a wild radical and ends
s a comfortable conservative, win
ood government job.
Mr.. Beers work is an extremely
addition to the library o.
English history. 1t is always char-
cterized by breadth and sanity; and
is quite free from propagandist bias
f any kind. It's careful and sympa-
hetic account Of the struggles and
SEPARATIONS of the British workers
hould supplement and broaden tbs
onceptions of those who think Of
nodern English history primarily in
erms of Gladstone and Disraeli, Sails
ury and Balfour, Asquith and Lloyd
ieorge.