Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-05-22
INDUSTRIAL SUICIDE, AMERICAN
WRITER DESCRIBES MEASURE
CONSIDERED BY PARLIAMENT
BY MILTON BRONNER
NEA Service Writer

mess OF the world, and with Germany
Sturdily working to come back to a
place IN the industrial sun, the British
Tory Die-Hards are trying to make
England commit business suicide.
For the bill regulating the trades
unions which they are abouto to jam
Through parliament, is a measure which
should be property labeled:
"A bill to enhance the bitterness of
political strife, to precipitate class
war, to arrest Britains progress to-
wards industrial recovery, and to bring
about in the workers a mood in which
they will loaf at their jobs, in contrast
to the productiveness of American and
German workmen."
Predicted Months Ago
Months ago after the breaking of
the general strike of year ago, 1 pre-
dicted the Tory party would bring in
such a bill, aimed at the trade unions.
But Englishmen didn't believe it. re-
lying on Premier Baldwin's gentle
words about peace in our time"
However, since then the Die-HardS
have had their innings. The Tory
party convention at Scarborough over
whelmingly passed resolution de-
manding stern measures. The bill
recently introduced in the Commons by
Sir Douglas Hogg, the attorney gen.
eral, goes even beyond the dreams of
the Die-Hards.
First-It declares illegal any strike,
if it has any object in addition to the
furtherance of trade dispute within
the trade concerned, or if calculated
to coerce the government or intinli-
date the community or any substan-
tial part of it. Penalties provided are
anywhere from 100 pounds, fine to two
years Imprisonment. Any workman
refusing to take part in such strike is
protected by this law from being ex-
PEELED from his union, or in, lieu there
Of, the courts can give him damages
Second-Picketing is forbidden, if it
is calculated to intimidate a person by
causing in his mind a reasonable APP
prehension of injury to himself, his
family or his property 4
Bar Union LevieS
Third-At present most trades un-
ions levy on each member sum which
is devoted to the political campaigns
of the Labor party. If member does
1IOG WdllG OOCOlIUl4UuUC 1lC OiS1AO q Pe1k'OA
SO declaring and is then immune. Un-
der the proposed law, no member is
subject to political levy unless he
signs paper specifically declaring
himself in favor Of it.
War was declared the moment the
bill was introduced. Its first effect
was to close up the ranks Of the La
Dor party which had suffered SER
ious breach between it's right and left
wings. The Asquith and Lloyd George
wings of the Liberal party have also
been brought together by the bill.
"a charter of freedom for the work.
man." is the slogan of the Tories.
"a charter for blacklegs," is the re-
ply slogan of the Labor party.
Leaders Are Bitter
Ex-Premier Ramsay Macdonald, be-
fore his recent trip to Apneica, called
the bill "a measure to force labor into
political economic and moral subordi-
nation
Ext Chancellor of the exchequer Phil
lip SnoWden, one of the most conser-
vative of the Labor statesmen said:
Nobody but one fit to be an inmate
of lunatic asylum could have con-
ceived such a bill. At time when the
nations greatest need is better rela
tionS in industry, the government has
thrown into the industrial arena a.
bone of contention which is go
ing to make our industrial world a
shambles for years to come"
Sir Herbert Samuel, the wise new
pilot at the head of the political ma
cllinery of the Liberal party, said:
of
tention to the elderly gentlemen in
London clubs who say, IF I had my
way would put a few of these agita-
tors against the wall and have them
shot," That is not the method to solve
the problems of our complex indus
trial society. There is nothing so dam
gerouS in politics as combination of
the iron hand and the feather head"
Predicts Class War
But the bitterest saying was that of
John Wheatley, health minister in the
Labor government:
''They have declared war in favor of
their class. That's all right. We will
know what to do when our class comes
on top in the elections and gets con-
troll of the government"
Already the political headquarters of
all the parties are humming with in
tense activity The Tories, with their
immense majority in parliament, feel
confident of passing the bill. The La
Dor leaders intend to bring home to the
country that the bill sweeps away all
labor legislation fought for and won
in hundred years.
They say the clause about political
1eViaS iS q c0UaTr]lv atten1Dt to cripple
the Labor party in financing it's cam
paigns, whereas the Tories can get all
the money they want from their veal
thy men. This will lead to a sharp
debate in parlirnent in which the sale