The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-04-22

ed, Lney tried to force the Hoe Work
ers back to the shops without any
steps being taken to assure effective
action either on a national or local
scale to meet the employers offensive.
On March IA, they called meeting of
the national committee, composed of
representatives from various districts,
and secured the passing of a resolu-
ton calling for IAN immediate resump-
ton of work, thus averting a national
lockout" The London district COM
mittee continued to support the strik-
ers, who refused to go back to work
Finally, on March II, joint meeting
Of the executives of the seven unions
involved adopted a resolution looking
towards some form of action. 1t said:
This conference approves of local ap-
plications for wage advances being
made and that the joint conference of
union executives meet again to con-
slider any situation that may arise
from the local applications" The Hoe
workers thereupon withdrew their
wage demands in favor of general I'M
ion action, and agreed to return to
work upon the question of non-union-
lists in the shop being settled. When
it was announced that the nonunion-
lists were ready to join the union, the
workers returned on March 21 to their
posts.
While this incident threw a bright
light upon the vacillating character of
the dominant leadership, yet on the
whole the outcome was good, for the
struggle of the 900 Hoe workers had
tremendous effect in stirring the
fighting blood of the British unionists,
and finally forced the officials into
some sort of preparations for strug-
gle. The crucial issue. is now post
poned, with the left wing pressing
forward stronger than ever for fight
ing policy.
Vacillation and Treaehery in Lead
ership.
TN the midst Of all these preparations
for battle, with the British working
masses swinging rapidly to the left, it
would not be revolutionary wisdom to
ignore the threatening dangers within
the labor movement as well as outside
OF it. Like thief in the night, vacilla-
ton and treachery among the official
leaders may steal from the British
workers the victory which they are
preparing to Win by their struggle.
Signs multiply, in these last months
that the right wing is not by any
means confined to the Labor Party in
its exercise Of power, but that it is
still terrible force making towards
defeat in the economic struggle. de-
spite the trouncing given it at Scar
borough.
Outstanding of these disuueting
signs. which show that all is not well
for the workers within the higher coun-
ellis Of the Trade Union Congress, is
the recent decision of the general
council not to carry out the decision Of
the Scarborough Congress which in
structed them to cali a conference for
The purpose of drawing up proposals.
for more powers TO the general coun-
ell, including the power to levy on all
affiliated members, to call a stoppage
OF work by any affiliated organization
to assist union defending vital trade
union principles, and to arrange with
the Cooperative Wholesale Society
for distribution of food in time of
strike. A left wing worker writing in
the Sunday Worker, explains this
backward movement Of the general
council by declaring:
ut is well-known that since the
fall Of the labor government and the
return to the general council of a
the r. u. G. has been greatly ham
pered BY various methods these
elements have contrived to stop or
to slow down some OF the work be-