Evening star., 1926-11-28
BRITISH TURN TO FUTURE
WITH HOPES AND FEARS
Trade Leaders, After Strike, Develop New
Initiative, Promising Better Times.
Emigration One Big Need.

grasp her almost illimitable Chances
| Of future success.
Unfortunately, this progress is check
! ed by false ideas among her own work
ing classes. For the past 30 years
political labor in England has de
| veloped socialistic theories which de
mand too much state aid for Individual
lives. Since the war these theories
have dominated English politics.
Unemployed insurance, health inslir-
ance, poor relief and Old-age pensions
have weakened the old habits of in
dependence and initiative. There is no
desperate urge now to seek work AT
home or abroad when unemployed
Worimen and their families are state ,
supported, saved at least from starVa-'
tion and provided with the elementary
needs of existence.
In Christian charity as well as
political wisdom no civilized nation
ought to allow unemployed men t0
Starve to death when 1t is not tnelr
own fault that thaE> are unemployed
1t was war and European impoverish-
ment which created this surplus mass
of unemployed men, many of whom
fought for England in time of need.
The state supports them by all moral
laws, but what used TO be regarded
as tragic necessity is now becoming
reality. Men are demanding as their
right what formerly was humiliation.
That is not a spirit which calls them
to adventure overseas as pioneers and
empire builders.
Meanwhile their political leaders, In
spired by revolutionary ideals and
economic ignorance, or paid, some or
them. by Moscow as communist
agents, preach to them pernicious doc
trines of limiting output. destroying
capital by constant strikes and de-
manding doleS without work when
their strikes have crippled industry.
They are taught to hate the capitalist
state, and they have some just cause
of hatred, but they now depend upon
| it for all they need In life as natural
law Of man.
Paid AgitatOrs Accused.
These ideas, based mainly on isnor-
ance and false logic, have crept into
English Life. They are being fostered
| by paid agitatorS. They are at the
bottom of much distress in England
| today and one cannot ignore their
| future menace. But L believe they
have been rudely checked by the COM
mon sense of labor's ranks and feel
now that the British coal strike has
failed utterly to secure any victory
for the miners owing to the extreme
folly of revolutionary leaders who let
| down their men.
| 1t has been a painful lesson to all
| thoughtful men and women and at
the present time from every part OF
England and Scotland many infiu-
ential voices are clamoring for a new
spirit in British industry based upon
cooperation between employers and
employed with better rewards and
more intensive work. 1t may be the
| beginning of a new era.
Politicians are being pushed to one
side by great industrialists. Big busi-
ness chiefs are aghaSt at all this folly
of incompetence and are rousing
themselves to new adventures IN IN
dustry by merging interests with
competing firms, economiZinE in man.
agement and markets and forming in
ternational combinations. Men like
Sir Alfred Mond are developing
new imperialism in business affairs.
Looks Hopefully Ahead.
THE past" he says. "is dimmed by
the hopes and anticipations Of the
futuristS."
All this may be merely q sudden
call to repentance for past follies or
dope for dismal days. But 1 honestly
believe that a new spirit of energy is
astir among leaders of English thought
and business and that in the yeal.
ahead England will rise out of her
trough of depression and start new
chapter in industrial adventure in her
overseas dOminions and in her own
| island.
The King 20 years ago. cried, "NVako
Up, Fngla md" Today one sees a new
awakening. new needs and new prob
| lens. caused mainly by the enormous
dislocation of a. war into which British
people put all their strength and
| wealth.
fCopyright. 1921