The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-02-10
BRITAIN ACES
CRISIS WITH
JOBLESS
"Armies" Threaten Action Un-
less Parliament Moves to
Relieve Distress.
BY LUTHER A. HUSTON,
international News Service.

International News Service.
LONDON, Feb. love do not
expect to accomplish our ends by
constitutional means. We are pre-
pared to adopt means that are I'M
constitutional"
The attitude of the National
Union of Unemployed, the organ
ized representatives of England s
army of men and women who are
out of work, toward existing society
and governments, was thus frankly
stated by Wal Harrington, the
head of the union. Harrington
made no bones" about expressing
his belief that present-day govern
ments, present-day society and pres
ent-day industry are inadequate to
the solution of those economic prob
lens which Great Britain's unem-
ployment crisis typifies.
I'VE are not a communlst1c
organization" Harrington went on.
I've are non-political and non-par-
tilin, but / do not hesitate to ad-
nit that there are many comnu-
rists and believers in direc action in
CUR ranks. What we are convinced
of is that whatever measures are
introduced by the existing govern
~
stave off an existing danger. They
will not accomplish any perma-
nent good"
Engineer Aggressive Leader.
Headquarters of the unemployed
hunger marchers are in a small
ighteenth-century house in Blooms
bury. Harrington, the leader, is a
young, black-haired, red-cheekcd
Englishman, mild of manner, per-
guasive Of speech. He is by trade
an engineer. The organization he
heads numbers at present about
$4,000 men in England, Scotland,
and Wales. 1t is differed by Off
cials who receive no salaries.
The day after this interview with
Harrington two armies" of un-
employed marched out of London.
One, comprising about 400 men,
trekked away to the "midlands."
with Birmingham. an industrial
army went south to the coast,
toured several coast cities and then
headed northward to join the other
army at an appointed rendezvous.
These two armies will be joined
by recruits all along the line"
Harrington said. 81 expect that
within three weeks there will be
at least 1000 of them. On Feb
ruary 10, the day Parliament re-
convenes, they will march back
into London and renew their de-
mands that the government act
for their relief.
q Intend to Stick By Demands.
I'VE intend to again demand,
and keep on demanding, that
Premier Bonar Law receive us
and listen to our plea. If he will
: see us and talk with us we will
endeavor to suggest to him some
measures for legislative action that
will bring relief. We are not 50
much interested in our own sug-
gestions, however, as we are in
those of the government. We are
eager to learn what the Premier
proposes to do toward fulfillment
OF his promises to aid the unem-
ployed. What we will do depends
upon circumstances"
Premier Bonar Law, while the
late session of Parliament was
meeting, steadfastly refused to re-
ceive a delegation of the unem-
ployed. He likewise, despite pres
sure from labor circles, refused to
summon Parliament to meet earlier
than February 10, the date fixed
at the time of adjournment.
What about the London tax
payer who must pay for the sup
port of the unemployed in the
workhouses?' Harrington was
asked.
Not Worried By Burden.
That is not really a grievance
from our standpoint" he replied.
I'VE are not concerned whether
our presence here means an added
cost to the taxpayers or not. We
are concerned about bringing about
a general uplifting of the unem-
ployed. The government is strain
ing the patience of these men and
II must not be surprised if there
are outbreaks of disorder
How many former soldiers are
there in your movement" was the
next query.
at is hard to give an accurate
estimate, but I should say that
80 per cent of the men in our
ranks were in the ranks of Brit
AIMS armies during the war It
must not be supposed that our
members are all unskilled work
men. either. While there is
large contingent of the laboring
type represented in our member
ship, there is also a large per-
centage Of skilled workmen.
Reach Out to Other Nations.
"One of our objects is to bring
about closer relations with the
unemployed of other countries.
We already are in close touch
with comrades in America, in
Switzerland. in Australia and in
other countries. We have found
the leaders Of the American move
ment very responsive to our over
lures for closer cooperation"
Although an independent or
ganiZation, the Unemployed Union
has the support in it's main OBJ
tect we. that of relieving UNEMPLOYED.
of other labor organizations in
England and of the Labor PARTY
I'm Parliament
&0