The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-06-13
By LOUIS ZOOBoCK.

The anti-labor legislation of Bald
wins Government is evoking indigna-
ton among the toiling masses in
England. The wave of protest from
the workers is spreading from day
to day Thousands of demonstra-
tions, conferences and mass meetings,
| pass resolutions against Baldwin's
Bill. All over the country the work
ers are testifying to their firm de-
cision to resist its putting into prac-
tice by every means at their disposal.
The trade union rank and file have
lined up and determined to make
every sacrifice for the prevention Of
this anti-labor Bill being passed.
On the other hand however, all the
symptoms prove that the official
trade union and Labor Party leaders
are reluctant to fight. The heroes of
'Black Friday" and the betrayers Of
the General Strike ard the miners
strike are once more meeting to plot
another betrayal of the workers. The
parliamentary fraction of the Labor
Party has declared its intention to
fight every line and point Of the Bill;
the trade union leaders are not chary
of sounding phrases and unctuous
declarations as to the need of re-
sisting the passing Of the Bill by all
possible means. They do not, how
ever, suggest any practical measures
for the fight.
The only measures to which they
would agree are Constitutional and
Parliamentary To stop, however,
at Constitutional" measures alone,
in the face of a ready-made Govern
ment majority, would mean the sur
render of the position without strik-
ing blow; in word would mean
-treachery.
The course of the Conference OF
Executives held on the 18th Of April
merely confirms that the present
Trade Union leaders are not in a
position to lead the workers in their
energetic fight with the Government
and its anti-trade union Bill.
Political" Action.
The Conference was attended by
900 delegates from various trade
union executives, affiliated to the
British Trade Union Congress and
representing over four million or
ganized workers, az well as by repre-
sentatives Of the Labor Party Parlia-
mentary Fraction. The tone of all
speeches completely confirmed the as
sumption that leading trade union
circles intend to carry on a mere
campaign Of agitation against the
trade union Bill and that their fight
will be purely political" i,e., limited
to parliamentary methods.
George Hicks, (well-known for his
Left" sympathies) presided at the
Conference and emphasized in his
speech the significance Of the Bill
pointing out that it revives all those
/ prosecutions and repressions met with
by the pioneers of the trade union
movement: If the Bill is passed the
whole trade union movement will be
delivered up to the tender mercies Of
the State legal machinery which is
entirely in the hands Of the capital
lists, etc. Therefore" added Hicks
1--WE must make use Of every kind Of
weapon in the arsenal of the working
class"
I Henderson chiefly touched upon
/ the question of political funds in his
speech. Analysing the fourth clause
! Of the Bill, he stated: Actually, and
in practice, it imposes upon the trade
unionists en- obligation which no
other body of citizens is required by
law to observe" "The clause repre-
sents, in my judgment" he continued.
IAN outrageous invasion Of individual
and personal rights"
The Fiery Snowden.
Snowden, referring to letter from
Macdonald, pointed out that the pres
ent correlation Of forces in parlia-
ment make it impossible for the La
Dor Party to count on the introduc-
ton Of vital alterations in the Bill.
The General Councils resolution
condemns the Trade Union Bill as one
designed to cripple the workers
effective powers of resistance against
attacks by organized employers upon
the already inadequate standards of
wages and conditions Of employ
ment." The resolution goes on to
condemn the Bill as an attempt to
undermine the power Of the Labor
Party which gets its necessary funds