The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-08-08
By WILLIAM E. DUNE

which the capitalist class of Europe
had set up around their. shaking sys
tenn like a stone smashes a mirror
But 1t revealed not only the weakness
of capitalism but weaknesses in the
basic organizations of the working
class which must and will be correct
ed.
1t revealed something else-some
thing of such primary Importance to
the working class that it must be
examined most carefully and thoroly
understood. The British general strike
has given US a new insight into the
role of the trade unions during a
period of revolutionary struggle in a
highly industrialized country where
the working class is we'll organized.
4 LTHO the weak and treacherous
"A leadership Of the British general
strike-the officials of the Trade
Union Congress general council and
the labor party-denied the accusa-
ton Of the Baldwin government to the
effect that the strike was challenge
ito the constitution" and that the
trade unions were setting UP a gov
eminent Of their own, the fact re-
mains that in many industrial centers
the trades councils did take over gov
ornamental functions and became the
only power recognized by the workers.
MO less an authority than George
L Lansbury, a paciflst and certainly
no propaganda for the dictatorship
of the proletariat, but one closely in
touch with both the trade union and
parliamentary wings Of the British Ia
Dor movement, makes the following
categorical statement in the July "a
issue Of Lansburys Weekly;
The outstanding achievement OF
the strike was certainly not its con-
troll by the national leaders, who
were from the first afraid OF the
great force they had called into &C.
tivity. The big and successful thing
was the local control-the swift and
instructive unifcation of all the local
labor forces under the impulse of a
common spirit of solidarity. Not
merely did the Trades Councils all
over the country take up suddenly
their proper position Of responsible
ing class forces in each district
rallied quickly round them. Under
various names, of which council of
action was the commonest, there
came to be in each place a single
body to which the whole working
class movement of the district look
ed for guidance and control. The
barriers which usually keep our diff
ferent sections apart were flung
down; solidarity found a meaning
in organization as well as In the
spirit of the workers. Emphasis
mine).
4 DUT the direction of the strike itself
II was only minor role of many
of the unions and trades councils. In
a number of Districts they took over
control of the food supply, transpor-
tation, communication and the neces-
sary policing. a
In one district at least the govern
ment apparatus collapsed completely
(altho in general sense it's apparatus
functioned wellmowhere) and it had
to depend" upon what was ac-
tually the governmental apparatus of
the trade unions. -
THE testimony of a score or more
of eye witnesses who saw the
strike in various sections of the coun-
try is that the real authority passed
into the hands of the trade unions
local unions, trades councils and strike
committees, committees of action.
Trucks, Clorries as they are called
in Great Britain) loaded with provi-
sions of all kinds, were allowed to pro
coed only if they bore the permit OF
the general council of the Trades
Union Congress. Even these were
sometimes held up by the pickets and
searched to see If they were trying to
evade the trade union regulations by
carrying prohibited articles. If this
was found to be the case even the
general council permit availed the cul.
prits nothing.
ITHE sole exception to this rule were
L the troop lorries. These were
allowed to pass the lines only because
the strike leadership was obsessed
with a pacifism with which the gov
eminent was not afflicted. 1t is evil
dent from all reports of the temper
Of the strikers and sympathizers, a
mixture Of good-natured contempt and
resentment against the display of
armed force, that a single order from
the general council would have been
sufficient to have stopped troop move
ments.
From the first moment when 1t was
apparent that the rank and file OF the
trade unions were determined to sup
port the miners by a general strike
a quiet but none the less severe strug
gle began between the strike leader
ship and the masses-the leaders try
ing to limit both the acual number OF
| workers involved and the political