The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-01-29
LEFT WING IS
DEVELOPING IN
Great BRITAIN
Coal Miners Are Getting
Ready for Fight
BY TOM MANN.
Especial to The Daily Workerl

rleQ all Lnelr reSOluLlOuS Win ease, II
looked as though there was no hope
for any action on the political field
corresponding to that agreed upon at
the Scarborough congress Of the
trades union congress.
Already there are signs amongst the
workers that they are by no means
satisfied with the reactionary attitude
OF the Liverpool conference and the
London Times prints special article
entitled, Unity with the Reds"
"Left-ward move by the /. L. T"
Real Soviet Aims" The report shows
that the national council of the indie
pendent labor party comes forward
with a proposal for united political
front with the Russian Communist
Party and that the national council Of
the I. L. P. has decided to raise the
question at the next executive meeting
of the second International.
1t is alleged that many workers IN
the independent labor party were
much impressed by what was brought
out at the trial of the Communists,
when It was made clear that the
methods of the Communists were
such that it is thought con these
lines political unity will be reached
in this country and abroad" 1t is
significant that the Times treats this
as quite serious development.
The National Minority Movement.
The situation in England is such
that anything may happen in the next
few months. I do not recall at any
time in the last IS years when the
antagonism between the employing
class and the workers was as strained
as it is at present, with promise OF
greater antagonism in the next three
months. Day by day the prOtagonists
on each side champion their respec
tive sides and use language that none
can mistake the meaning of.
The Coal Miners.
A. ]. Cook, secretary of the Miners
Federation of Great Britain, is the
most prominent of the spokesman for
the miners, and right heartily does he
battle for the men. Amongst those
who take up the cudgels for the mine
owners is the Duke of Northumberland
and Lord Londonderry. The latter
gentleman is much perturbed because
Cook has declared that "the coal
owners, who called themselves pa
triots, deliberately exploited the com.
munity during the war, and are doing
the same now that the war is over"
A statement well inside the bounds
of truth though stoutly denied by the
noble lord and his colleagues.
1t is obvious that the mine owners
and the government are planning on
a large scale to make a determined
onslaught on the miners position in
May, If not before. Naturally the men
are not allowing the grass to grow
under their feet. Meantime there are
fifty-three miners in prison in the
anthracite district of Wales, and the
twelve Communists are still in prison,
and as yet no signs Of any favorable
consideration being given to the de-
mands for their release. The longer
these men are kept in prison the more
determination will be shown by their
sympathizers and the more vim will
be put into the fight when the more
crucial stage is reached.
Sectional Unionism in Railroad Shops.
The agreement entered into between
the railmen's unions and the com
panies under the national wages board
did not apply to the workmon in the
shops. This is explained by the fact
that most of the mechanics in rail-
way shops have been and still are for
the most part connected with the
respective craft unions, but a consider.
abe percentage Of such men are men,
bers of the National Union of Rail
waymen which caters to all workers
connected with the railways
At the present time court OF en-.
quiry is sitting to deal with en- an.
plie=:ion for the men in the shops OF
what was formerly known as the
Great Central Railway which is now
part of the London and North Eastern
Railway Co. and we have the picture
OF suggested changes made by the
National Union OF Railwaymen. and
tie craft unions such as the Amalga-
NOTED Engineers Union, the boiler
makers, luc foundry workers, the
operative plumbers and other unions
opposing this Without touching the
merits Of the proposals we have in
this evidence OF sectional unionism
the chief cause Of the relative weak
ness OF the organized workers, who
although members Of one or other of
the unions, are actually in the position
OF unorganlzed men, as working Sec
tionally it makes their organizations
practically of no effect.
This matter OF sectionallsm Is 80
utterly absurd, and It's harmful effects
so really serious that it Is matter for
wonderment that more IS not done to
wipe out the anomaly. America too
seems to be affiliated with the same