The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-09-15
NATIONAL" GOVERNMENT
IN BRITAIN

ing strike action during a period OF economic
depression the strike movement has been grow
ing rapidly. During 1880 the number of strike
days total 4399OO0 and that huge figure had
already been exceeded by the end of the first
half of this year The membership of the mill
tant unemployed organization had quickly dou-
bled from 10000 to 10000. The prestige of the
Labor Government was hopelessly waning as
was demonstrated at the by-elections where
Labor majorities of thousands came tunbling
down to a few hundreds
In this situation the bourgeoisie and their
labor Ieutenants were faced with the tactical
problem of what kind of government could be
entrusted with carrying out of this unprece-
dented offensive against the workers, and the
introduction of new lines of bourgeois policy
For many months opinion had veered towards
the idea Of a National Government, a coalition
of all three parties, and an animated discussion
was carried on in the bourgeois political jour-
nails. BY August of this year these discussions
had reached such a stage that the Times" was
able to declare:
'Nr. Baldwin was clearly wrong in saying
that the question of a National Government was
a question of strategy: it is a question of prac-
ticablity-a question whether all parties can
COMPREHENSIVE and conscientiously make such
sacrifices of former convictions as a national
policy requires. The answer depends wholly at
the moment upon the Government of the day."
august 7th)
Today National Government exists-but in
name only. The largest party has constituted
itself as His Majestys Opposition, and there is
at least temporary reversion to that two party
system which so admirably served the interests
of the British bourgeoisie in the past. Of the
Labor leaders, Macdonald remains as Premier,
Snowden is still at the Treasury, Thomas has
not moved from the Dominion Office and San
key remains Lord Chancellor but the Labor
M.P.s, practically en- bloc, have moved to the
other side of the House of Commons under the
leadership Of Henderson and with the full APP
proval of the General Council of the Trades
Union Congress.
1t is however an Opposition that did every
thing to facilitate the formation of the Ma
tionaI' Government. 1t gave Cabinets sup
port to the bankers plan and obedently re-
signed when requested without even calling Par
lament together.
Objectively a division Of labor has taken
place. The chief leaders of the Labor Party
grace the Government with their presence in
order to give it a National" dressing while the
Labor Party as whole supported by the T. u
c. goes into opposition in order to win back the
confidence Of the workers and to shunt their re-
sistance on to safe parliamentary lines while
the National Government goes quickly for
ward with the cuts Under the circumstances
there could be no better way of helping the
capitalists. But it would be a gross error to see
only the maneuver and to ignore class forces
which led to it and now threatens to sweep
past the limits set by the bourgeoise. 1t would
be sheer stupidity to ignore the disintegration
in the Social-Fascist leadership the conflicting
interests that have driven them hither and
thither and the division in the Labor Cabinet,
the sharp contradictions within the ranks of the
bourgeoisie
Under the existing circumstances the forrna-
ton of a new Government under Macdonald
was the best road for the bourgeoisie to take
but this by no means signifies that it leads to
a way out of its difficulties. True enough the
Labor Party has regained popularity overnight
and the hatred of the masses is DETECTED from
the present leadership to the former leading
group, Macdonald and Company Even so the
experience of two years of labor rule is not
wiped out by one stroke and workers do not for
get that this Macdonald was yesterday the
acclaimed leader of those who now lead the Cop
position" and that the chief leader of the "Op-
position" Henderson, was an advocate of "dole"
cuts Are they not all tarred with the same
brush, is what many workers are asking
The desire of Henderson and Company to
avoid an open personal clash with Macdonald
and Company is shown by their refusal to expel
them from the Labor Party and by the appeal
for an avoidance of a discussion on personali-
ties But the rank and file are deaf to Hender-
sons appeals The local Labor, Party at Hamp-
stead has already expelled Macdonald and his
constituency organization has demanded his
resignation. Snowden has announced his CON-
ing resignation in order to avoid the ignominy
Of being repudiated in his constituency of Coline
Most significant, however, is the fall of j. H.
Thomas the only trade union leader adhering
to the government. The removal of Thomas
from the Political General Secretaryship of the
National Union Railwaymen is an outstanding
event in the history of the British Labor Move
ment. 1t is the fall of the dominating reac-
tionary figure in the trade unions
The treatment Of the Government labor lead
ers by the rank and file despite the protection
they received from the official leaders of the
Labor Party is a real working class blow at the
authority of the National Government and the
first indication that His Majesty's Opposition
will not be able to sdetrack successfully the
mass movement now surging up Throughout
Britain there is a heightened political activity
and fierce determination to defeat the Economy
Plan. Mass meetings and demonstrations are
outstanding both in size and enthusiasm. Hun
dreds of trade union branches and local labor
parties are passing resolutions strongly con-
demning the Government
In their efforts to head the movement the
leaders of the Labor Party and trade unions are
resorting to strong talk about the unustifiability
of the plan. But although they go so far as
to condemn the cuts which they themselves
agreed upon when in office they carefully re-
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