The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-05-07
Ry q. z. BROWN.

BY n. E. BROWN.
THE arrest, trial and subsequent i'm
L prisonment Of the twelve we'll
known Communist leaders in Britain
cannot be viewed as an isolated incl
dent To obtain clear conception Of
the Importance Of this event it Is es-
sential to consider it in relation to, and
as part of, the general attempt Of Brit
ish capitalism to steal a new lease of
life at the direct expense of the living
standards of the working class.
For some years past industry in
Britain has been in sorry plight. An
industrial system which once boosted
of being the workshop of the world"
found itself being steadily, but none
the less surely, relegated to the posi-
ton of a secondary economic power.
Exports, the life blood of an industrial
country like Great Britain, were stead
lily on the decline. Unemployment was
widespread and intense. The trade
outlook for the future held out no
hope.
In the first half Of 1925 the capitalist
class decided on a campaign to cheap
en- "costs of production" This was
absolutely necessary, it was claimed,
if British products were to compete
successfully with those of other ma
tions produced under conditions which
featured low wages and long hours.
With the usual capitalist method Of
reasoning and without any thot Of cur
failing profits or of more scientifically
organizing industry, it was claimed
| that costs of production" could only
be brot down to a competitive level if
the workers were prepared to accept
an all-round drastic reduction of wages
and in some cases (mining, textiles,
etc., if the number of working hours
was extended.
The Attack and Subsequent Retreat.
| THE miners were singled out as the
l. first section to be subjected to the
depression of living standards. The
capitalists reasoned as follows: If the
well-organized miners trade union,
with its 100000 members and its COM
paratively advanced working class out
look, can be isolated and defeated,
then it is only matter of time before
the same treatment can be melted out
to every other section of industrial
workers.
Unfortunately for the plans of the
attacking force the most class consci-
Gus elements in the British labor
movement saw this also. This argu-
ment was at once given prominence by
the Communist Party and it's ally, the
National Minority Movement. A clear
call for national trade uni,n unity was
sounded, the masses responded. On
July 31st (Red Friday, the date fixed
by the coalowners for the operation of
| their proposals, the miners were sure
of the active support of all other i'm
| portant unions If the coalowners had
forced their threatened lockout it
would have meant plunging the coun-
| try into the throes of a general strike.
The governing class was hardly pre-
pared for such contingency. A re-
treat was ordered Government money
was forthcoming to substitute the coal
industry as temporary expedient and
truce was called to extend over a
period Of nine months.
The New Attack.
The retreat was necessary in order
that more detailed consideration could
be given by the, governing class to the
new situation and that new plans
could be laid prior to returning to the
fray. 1t was, of course, decided that
! the unity of the labor movement must
be smashed if it was within the power
of the governing class to do SO. Fail
ing this, then the way must be per-
pared for the whole force at the dis
posal of the capitalist class to be
modified and held in readiness to be
thrown into the battle al the oppOr-
tune moment.
In furtherance of this alternative
policy of mobilization" the govern
ment got busy at once. Official sane
ton was given to the creation of a
huge blackleg organization (Organiza-
| ton for Maintenance of Supplies) for
the purposes of keeping the essential
| Sci AuHAAlS huAAuE a 6GlNl "a
strike. This organization is Differed
i by well-known "pillars of the capitalist
state" and is busy enrolling recruits
from the ranks of the bourgeoisie and
the higher-paid professional classes.
The government is also recruiting
large forces of special police, none Of
whom must be trade unionists. A GEN.
sus is being taken Of the technical
qualifications of soldiers, sailors and
other state servants. The fascist are
openly encouraged and their offences
against the law condoned. In short,
the governing classes are preparing
for a new type Of struggle, never prev
iously experienced for which they
may need to bring up all their forces,
economic, political, legal-and Illegal
and military. They are making these
preparations openly and busily. Here
It is important to note that the only
party which is demanding that the
workers shall take a realistic view Of