El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1921-01-12

willing to take this revolutionary
step. The employers pointed out that
i would be an incentive to shirk-
ing The government offered a COM
promise OF $50 for each new member
taken in to be put in the unemploy-
ment reserve Of the unions. This
was refused When the premier
threatened to put the nonunion men
q WorE on Dulldlngs anyway, the
labor general staff" known as the
committee Of action" quietly assem-
I hled in London and let II be known
that such an attack on the building
unions would be taken as an attack
on all the unIUns under its command;
with, OF course, a threat Of a general
strike to meet such an attack.
RailWaymen Ready to Act.
The government refused a show
down and as usual backed away
from the issue 1t is evident, how
ever, that the Socialists are not con-
tent to let matters rest there. The
railwaymen are now preparing. to
Iorce the struggle when they think
the right moment has arrived.
Here is the scheme as outlined last
month BY J. h Thomas general sec
rotary OF the national union Of rail-
vTaymen (also member OF parlia-
Il believe that there viii be a big fight
In the next months in this country over
new stand that we as rallwaymen, are
golnE 70 take we have fought and have
succeeded in reducing our hours and IN
creasing cur wages. But we stu believe
that he workers part in LIE ought not 10
Be merely as hewers OF wood and draw
eru OF water We believe that we can
contribute something 70 efficient railway
management.
only few months ago cur railway
companies said that our business vas
merely 70 do what we were told We
answered that by saying, when the gov
eminent feU months ago indicated that
they realized that the railWay-en ought
TO share in the mana cement, that 10 IS
our Intention to hold the government 20
mat promise and 70 see that L vas not
the public hope our government WI
understand clearly that on this matter
solutely united and determined"
These words take on an added sig
Ilsauce when we remember that u
was Mr.. Thomas who prevented the
rsilFaymen from striking last Au-
tumn in support OF the miners. He
did this IN the face OF a majority
vote Of the delegates OF the local
unions. He excused himself by say
"a social unheaval," bloody up
heaval." Now apparently he is ready
to face that consequence
Great labor Organization
When the railway chief speaks
thus plainly It can be taken for
granted that he does so with the as
sent OF the other leaders Of the
triple alliance" which also IN
lAA4HH the =AEaE miners AEAGA
and the transport workers These, IN
turn, control the committee OF &C
tion, IN which are represented unions
that number between 100000 and
100000 on their rolls.
me miners are ostensibly bound
not TO strike by the agreement Of
the autumn, but that settlement is
subject TO reopening in the near fu-
ture; and meanwhile the government
has made q capital blunder- 1t gave
10 Mr. Brace and other leaders IN the
federation lucrative Jobs, which were
designed to attach their influences TO
the conservative forces. The effect,
however, was 20 bring to the front
fin the federation radical leaders who
have made extreme promises IN or
der TO prove that they are not under
government influence.
Seek World Leadership.
In effect. British labor is trying TO
take away from Moscow the leader
ship Of the proletariat OF the world;
and the moves it is now making at
home are dictated by sweeping ideas
and ambitions that are not likely 10
be satisfied with the policy OF small
concessions which premier Lloyd
George has pursued
The clue to the attitude OF these
leaders IS best given In the support
OF the Sim Fem movement. In fact,
had It not been for the Intervention
Of British labor. Lloyd George might
have been able to carry out his
pledge TO crush by Christmas what
he calls the murder gang" in Ire
land. At every crisis, however. the |
labor council OF action has interest l