The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-09

EDITORS NOTE.-Interest in
the British labor movement is in
tensifed by the setback given the
Ramsay Macdonald labor govern
ment in parliament on Monday. In
order to understand the British
situation you must read these ar
tlcles by j. 7. Murphy, British
Communist and trade unionist.
They will appear in the DAILY
WORKER during the remainder of
this week. Today's installment is
as follows:
VERY day that goes by is simply
- crammed with incidents justifying
every prediction and every word of
criticism the Communists have made
with regard to the Labor Government.
Within single month Of office all the
cards are on the table: Labor I'm
perialism," Empire Development"
industrial peace" "social insurance"
"sops for the workers" national
agreements" "wages boards" etc.,
ETC., in short every possible measure
to stifie the spirit of revolt. And the
Trades Union bureaucracy are at one
with the Labor Government in carry
ing this policy thru. The dock strike
settlement is Illuminating in this re-
spect.
Compromise Strike.
The strike ended on a compromise.
A compromise that could have been
secured without the strike. The
terms of settlement were practically
agreed upon before the strike begun.
Mr.. Shaw proposed the compromise
which was the main feature of the
settlement, secretly, with the differ
ence of four weeks only on the settle
ment of the second shilling.
The lockers demanded 2 shillings
at once. The terms are / shilling now,
another shilling per day beginning
OF June. Mr.. Shaw proposed the lat
ter to begin at the end of June. But
there had to be strike for the bene-
fit of the leaders. Bevin and Tillet
had to win back the confidence of the
men and make an attempt to smash
the Stevedores Union which had cap
tured many of the Transport Unions
members in the unofficial strike of
last year. They got the strike, mag
nificently complete. And then be-
gan the developments.
Promptly the Labor Government
inflated the Industrial Court of In
quiry in accordance with the policy
Of fostering Cancellation and prevent
ing strikes, or when strikes do occur
to confine them to very limited chan
nels. At once Bevin seized the posi-
ton for lime light and the court alb
ruptly closed with Bevin the winner.
The chairman and the Minister of
Labor brought the contending parties
together and the same night the
terms were arranged. But the men
refused. They had been told there
would not be any compromise what
ever and resented the slightest climb
down with so complete hold upon
the situation.
Government Strike Breaking Agency.
The Prime Minister had already
announced that the Government was
taking every necessary measure tc
safeguard the food supplies of the
nation" and had the nucleus of an
organization ready for the job. Then
the Postmaster General, Mr.. Harris
horn, one time leader of the South
Wales Miners Federation, proceeded
to secure voluntary labor, that is
blackleg labor to remove the foreign
mails. The police proceeded to pro-
tect the blacklegs. The naval ratings
were called in to help.
Meanwhile the union leaders pro-
ceeded to control the men. And this
is how they did it. Bevin spoke as
follows to the delegate conference
which was returning to the districts
to reverse the instructions of the men.
''The Government is responsible for
the moving of mails. They have re-