The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-09-10
PURCELL WRITES
OF CAPITALISM'S
WORLD OFFENSIVE
Famous British Union
Leader Warns of War
BY A. A. PURCELL.

president, Amsterdam, internationally
That we are witnessing a genuine
worldwide capitalist attack on the
workers | do not think anyone can
doubt for a moment. In our own coun
try there is the onslaught of the coal
owners on the already starvation
standards of the IMMERSION which ]
cannot do better than refer readers to
the miners and the attacks on the
railwaymen, the engineers and the
wool textile operatives.
Abroad we see everywhere the grav-
est crisis in the mining industry, with
pits closing down, miners being dis
missed wholesale, and threats OF wage
reductions; this is true OF France,
Belgium, Germany and America. In
Belgium also there is national strike
in the metal industry while over a
hundred thousand German builders
are either on strike or locked-out.
Turning to another side OF the same
picture, we note that in many coun-
tries the methods of murder and ter
ror are still in full swing; in Poland,
for instance, and in the Balkan coun-
tries, such as Roumania and Bulgar-
ia, where the zankov murder gang
continue ruthlessly to send workers,
including women, to their deaths.
The eliminating point of this pro-
cess is the development of the at
tack on Soviet Russia, led by the
British government. OF this we have
had foretaste in the recent Anglo
Russian crisis, and. tho things are
now quieter it is only because our
pastors and masters are not yet quite
sure of their ground.
Much Depends On Unity.
If our general councils campaign
for International trade union unity
should not meet with the fullest pos.
sible support at the trades union con-
gress, then the road will be clear for
war against Soviet Russia.
1t is the danger of war, together
with that other great issue of which
| wrote last month-the Eight-Hour
Day-which literally force interna-
tionalism upon us. know that some
comrades in our movement are apt
to decry the attention that is now be-
ing paid to international questions.
But my recent experiences in the For
est OF Dean have opened my eyes to
the growing healthy demand among
the workers themselves for informa.
ton about the international move
ment and about our brothers in Rus
STA in particular.
We are in no danger hope, of for
getting the events in China and the
lesson that they teach. Can one think
without horror of little children work.
ing for twelve and more hours a dav
and striking to secure just one days
rest in fortnight? If we wish to
end these horrors, and to save our
selves from being dragged down to
this level, then we cannot escape from
internationalism.
No Class Collaboration.
Is 1t enough to rely, as some of our
friends on the continent rely, on the
international labor offlce-based on
the cooperation Of employers, work
ers and governments? Surely the
answer to this is provided by the
spectacle of members of the British
government, pledged as it is to the
|. L. 0. and the Washington conven-
ton, continually urging the necessity
OF longer hours and lower wages.
There is only one solution to the
problem of war, just as there is only
one way to secure a universal eight
hour day, to say nothing of the six
hour day that may be possible when
Industry is controlled by the workers
That way is the positive militant in
unity of the organized
working class, consciously directed 10
The overthrow of capitalism. In that
way alone can we defend ourselves
against capitalism's present world of.
iensive.