The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-02-24
TRADES union
CONGRESS GETS
WARWICK HOME
British Labor Faces Ed.
ucGtiOnGI Problem
Especial to The Daily wOrker)

LONDON, Feb. 22-The trades un-
ion congress has officially accepted
the offer of the Countess of Warwick,
whose socialist views have made her
internationally famous, to turn over
her lodge in Essex to the labor party
for use as an international labor uni
Versity. A difficult problem must be
solved, however, if the grant is to be
most successful. This is to perfect
some scheme under which the various
educational movements among the
workers may be coordinated and the
present conflicts obvated.
All these groups agreed this year
to minimum of joint action under
the leadership of the trades union con-
gress. There are three main tenden-
cies expressing themselves organiza-
tionally in the field of working class
education. The oldest of these is the
workers educational association. The
association cooperates with all exist
ing educational agencies. While most
Of those attending its classes are
members of the cooperatives and the
unions, it does not restrict the entry
Of outsiders. 1t accepts subsidies from
universities or other public bodies but
claims that there are no restrictions
on the entire freedom Of opinion and
expression of its students and teach
ers. General cultural education and
technical preparation for specific tasks
are its objects.
objects of Ruskin.
Ruskin College, founded in 1899 by
Walter Vrooman and his wife, both
Americans, and radical group of
unionists, particularly aims to fit
working men and women to function
effectively in the labor movement. It
emphasizes the social studies,
economics and political science, with
background of history, literature,
and psychology to round out the in
dividual. Most of it's students are
sent by unions which select the appli-
cant by competitive test and pay his
expenses while attending.
The governing body of the college
is a council made up of representa-
tives of the trades union congress. the
federation of trades unions, the CO.
operative union, the workingmen's
club, the institute union, together with
delegates from the supporting unions.
The college has no connection with
Ruskin university
The Labor COLLEGE.
The labor college, known formerly
as the central labor college, is a split
off from Ruskin college. In 1909 a
group of its students, under the leader
ship of Dennis Herd, founded the
central labor college in order to have
economic courses based on MARKHAM
principles. First started in Oxford, it
was later transferred to London
where it is now functioning. The
propaganda work which lay the foun-
dation for the labor college move
ment was conducted by the Plebs
league, thru its monthly magazine,
The Plebs. At present the movement
has spread so widely that a national
council supervises classes conducted
in all parts of the country.
The labor college is owned and con-
trolled by the National Union of
Railwaymen and the South Wales
Miners Federation. An effort is being
made at present to transfer the insti-
tuition to the trades union congress.
Class VS.. Liberal Standpoint.
The conflict comes in the fact that
the Workers Educational Association
and the labor college movement, the
larger and more influential of the
groups, approach the problem of work
ing class education from fundamen-
tally different angle. The former is for
a general cultural training; the latter
is unreservedly for a strictly MARKHAM