Evening star., 1941-10-19
Beyin Is Brituin's
Second Churchill
BIZ Frederic J. Hdskin.


long fight to better the lot of the British
worker.
At 81, Bevin tips the scales at 200
pounds and looks as strong as an OK,
although intimate friends know that long
hours in his Office are imperiling his
health. In Britain's great war effort
Bevin probably ranks second only to the
Prime Minister and many political OBJ
servers think him a likely candidate for
the premiership at some future date.
Bevin is not a politician in the ordi-
nary sense of the word. When he was
appointed to his present cabinet posi-
ton he was not even a member Of
Parliament, but was the unofficial car
of Britains labor in his capacity as
general secretary of the Transport and
General Workers Union, the worlds
largest trade union.
Bevins rise from the obscuritv Of the
ranks Of labor has been phenomenal and
today people stop, look and listen when
they see the bul-like figure Of the Labor
Minister striding briskly down the street
or hear his believing voice from the
back of a van or from rostrum. His
administrative gifts and abilities as a
negotiator have won him an outstanding
place in Britains industrial labor move
ment and have warmed place for him
in the heart of all Britons.
A pioneer in the labor movement.
Beyins story is as richly romantic as
that of the pioneer merchants who set
tied the furthermost outposts of the
! British Empire. His life has been all
| the more interesting because he has al
ways turned his full energy not toward
money making, but toward the raising
| Of the economic and social status Of his
| fellow workers.
| Born in the little hamlet of Wlnsford,
in Somersetshire, Bevin joined the work
| ing class when he was 10. His first job
| was working on a neighborhood farm for
/ sixpence week. but after short while
/ ne asked his employer for an increase
| in wages and was promptly dismissed.
/ Immediately he fell into betterpaylng
! position on another nearby farm.
Despite his youth, Bevin was called
papers to his employer and to the neigh
bors who gathered around the fireplace
| for an hour of smoking, relaxation and
conversation AS he read the long Par
liamentary reports in his firm, clear
voice. he became conscious of the strug-
gle of Britain's workingmen. The con-
sciousness of this struggle followed him
to Bristol, where he successfully became
a page boy, shop clerk and street car
conductor.
AS he followed the conversations Of
his friends. Bevin formed definite ideas
about labor and announced his candl-
dacv for the Bristol City Council. He
conducted an enthusiastic campaign.
Overhearing one Of his opponents con-
tradicting his statements at pubic
gathering one dav. Bevin stopped his
horse flung himself upon his adver-
sary and threw him into the River Avon.
Such antics delighted the workln2men,
but the majority Of the voters we're not
favorably impressed and Bevin failed TO
win the position. Ben Tillett. leader
of Londons great dockyard strike Of
1889 liked this plucky youngster. how
ever. and soon made room for him with
a small position in the dockworkers'
union. This determined Bevin's future
career.
Once started along the hard route OF
professional trades unionism, Bevln soon
proved himself capable of parrylng
strategy with the best Of Britains trade
founded the Bristol Unemployed Union.
He was elected its secretary, and as there
was no unemployment insurance in those
davs. he drew no salary for his duties,
and drew only the most meager OF eX-
pense monies. He stuck through five
lean years with this young union and
during that time absorbed what Is un-
doubtedly the most complete union
BACKGROUND ever possessed by British
labor minister.
The amazing organizing ability OF the
Young labor leader was clearly demon
strated in 1918 when he undertook the
amalgamation of Is unions into single
body of transport and general workers
This amalgamation took four years, but
when it was completed and Bevin was
named general secretary, he was in
undisputed control of a union which
now has membership of $4,000.
The advent of Nazi-ism brought
Bevins interest back to politics. George
Lansbury, who succeeded Macdonald as
head of Britain's Labor Party, we-s
picture of complete pacifism. When
Bevin realized the inevitable clash which
would result when NaziiSm spread, he
sought action Immediately. AS one of
the first British leaders to realize the
dangerous threat to the democracies, he
almost single-handed reversed British
labors policies from defeatist con-
servatism to aggressive mllitarlsm. In
knockdown, dragout speech at the
Brighton conference in 1885 he routed
the aging Lansbury and stirred the
labor camp into violently anti-dictator-
ship movement.
Bevin was attending the Labor Party
conference at Bournemouth when he
received Churchills call to the Ministry
of Labor and National Service. Al
though he had disagreed with many OF
Churchill's policies for 80 years, he wiped
this out in a minute when he accepted
the offer. Later, when friends OF the
Prime Minister asked him why he had
chosen Bevin of all people for this I'M
portant post, Churchill is said to have
replied, He is the ablest figure in Brit
ish industry"