Evening star., 1926-10-03
BY JAMES VI, LYNCH.

DETROIT, October 2.-Fraternal
delegates from the British labor move
ment will address the convention of
the American Federation of Labor
here next week, and any request for
financial assistance of the striking
British coal. miners that they may
make will be approved by the con-
vention. At the same time the visit
ing Britishers will receive assurance
that the American labor movement
does not approve the principal of a
general strike.
The failure OF the British general
strike is now history. and it is easy.
to criticize A false step that has al
ready been made. but American labor
leaders can say that they looked with
misgivings on the plan from the begin
ming. The mining industry in Britain
Is unfortunately situated, but that
fact scarcely justified the precipitation
of chaos in England and embarra ss-
ment for organized labor through
out the world
1t Is estimated that the genera Il
strike, called in support of British
miners. cost England $4,000 900 900.
The loss of confidence in organized
labor. caused by the strike, could not
be estimated in money.
The British general strike proved a
failure in England just as it had in
Norway and Italy 1t was fore
doomed to fail. and the chief leaders
of British labor knew that it, was.
They were forced into it by radical
propagandists, who had been waiting
for just such a condition to develop.
Ernafad Raactinu Hero
Unfortunately the British crisis has
produced a reaction in America
Enemies of organized labor have used
the general strike against trade
unionism. Their arguments are
plausible, and labors only answer is
to disavow the philosophy of the
British labor movement. Perhaps Il
is we'll that the general strike test
was made in Britain. AgitatorS for
direct action in the United States and
Canada have been silenced for the
present.
The British miners were not bene-
fitted by the general strike. They are
now returning to work under less
advantageous conditions than those
offered in the memorandum of Sir
Herbert Samuel. which they rejected
The strategy pursued since the be-
ginning OF the dispute DN the miners
leaders has proved a failure.
Now that some months have passed
since the strike ended, observers are
better able to reach conclusions as to
the benefits and losses it caused. One
point is clear: the muzZling of the
press was an unmitigated blunder
No class has more at stake in the
right to print than has labor. If the
effort to censor the press attempted
by employees had succeeded, capital
would quickly have appropriated the
result Capital attempts censorship
now through purchase, but has sue
ceeded only to a limited extent. The
bought newspaper is easily identified
by the rament of the prostitute.
IT is a negative quantity in molding
public opinion. The press on the
whole is fair 10 the extent of its in
telligence. Sinister and complex plots
are laid to it but never proved.
Leadership weakened by self-inter-
est should he blamed for Britain s
strike experiment. Therein lies an
other lesson for American workers.
Time was when the Independent
Labor Party Of England was an idea J.
iStic movement. Success brought the
Labor party and the adultcrati0n of
idealism. Labor leaders. successful
in politics and place-huntinc. were
still harricd by the cry for n better
living standard. sLillfully famed by