The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-02-26

AS WE SEE IT
BY T. J. o'FLAHERTY

MIHEN the British labor party as
wv sumed Office, the Communist
press all over the world exposed the
leaders of this party as group of
accomplished renegades who were
itching for the opportunity to serve
the ruling classes of England. This
criticism was resented in many quar-
tiers. The British labor party, it was
assumed because of its name, repre-
scented the interests of the working
class. 1t should be given chance. 1t
was.
n FTER several months in Office the
~ British labor party succeeded in
only one respect. 1t proved that the
Communist criticism was justified 1t
proved that Macdonald, Thomas,
Webb, Clynes and Walsh and the rest
of his majesty's government were just
as willing as its tory and liberal pre-
decessors to use the mighty power of
the robber empire against the slaves
on whose bleeding backs the imperial
structure rests. Bombs and shells for
the subject races. Government strike
breaking for the British working
class. This was the policy OF the Brit
ish labor party.
THE British labor party is out of
Office, but it's leaders have not
changed a whit. Philip Snowden is
criticising his successor, Winston
Churchill for surrendering to France
at the Paris conference. The social
list Snowden accuses the tory Church
i'll of negligence in safeguarding the
interests of British capitalism from
its French rivals! Ramsay MacDon-
aid and ]. H. Thomas are defending
the South African trip of the prince of
Wales from the attacks of the left
elements in the labor party.
DILIGENTLY when the question of
IN an additional appropriation for the
princes South American trip came
up in commons, David Kirkwood, an
emotional radical from the Clyde
spoke against it. Some acid comment
on the uselessness of the royal family
was INDUCED in by the left wingers
and by the one lone Communist in
the house. About ninety labor votes
we're cast for Kirkwood's motion to
reduce the appropriation for the
princely junketing trip. Macdonald
and practically every member of the
British labor government voted with
the tories. =
THE prince is also booked for a
| trip to South Africa The initial
arrangements were made by ]. H.
Thomas, colonial minister in the Mac
Donald government. This visit is the
object of attack by the rank and file
elements in the British labor party
and trade union movement Ramsay
Macdonald again rallied his right
wing socialists to the defense of the
prince of Wales. So did Mrs. Philip
Snowden. Now here comes ]. H.
Thomas. His defense of the princely
iaunt is more damning than anything
hat could be written by any enemy in
criticism of his position.
THOMAS says: Il, as a minister
| was specially responsible and
say not only from personal knowl-
edge but from correspondence that
there was an overwhelming demand
on the part of the people of South
Africa to see the prince visit their
shores. If he is serving the country
by going, as believe he is, then who
: is there in our party, or in any other
party, who would dare deny that he is
entitled to have his expenses paid
for the trip" r-srs a,tTa
THIS is the type of "labors politi-
] clan that was held up as an ideal
before the. eyes of the labor takers
at the c. P. p. A. conference, by Nor
ris Hillquit. This is the Abramovich
type. the type that puts the interests
of the country" above the interests
Of the working class. The einterests
OF the country" under capitalism
means the interests of the capitalists
The prince OF Wales is simply drum
mer for British imperialism, a royal
advertisement for the goods of the
British capitalists The British labor
party is today the most vigorous de-
fender Of the house of Victim.
MHEN Macdonald was premier, he
wv won the lasting hostility of the
British miners thru his insistence that
any bill introduced for the rationale
alton OF mines should include pro-
vision for compulsory arbitration. The
experience of the British working
class with socialist government is a
valuable one. The socialists every
where have proven themselves to be
the most willing tools OF capitalism.
The capitalist class in America are
not yet reduced to the extremity Of
being compelled to call in their yellow
allies. but when that time comes, the
call will be sent out and the response
xyfiI ha immedfata