The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1910-06-11 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

KINFIKAD WORKING MIN'S ORMAN TOUR.  REPLY TO MR. R&MSAY MACDONALD.  M.P.  TO TICE EDITOR OF THE RIBILENREAD NEWS.  Sir,—As one who has fulfilled in a conscientious way the mission that I was sent out upon, re our German Tour, and also having issued my report to the Prow, which if read and earnestly considered by my fellow townsmen, will finally prove beneficial, particularly to those who feel so keenly the pinch of uhemployment, without the least sign of finding work under the present system of Free Irade and not Fair Trade, i may say that your working men readers will have realised, from my detailed account, unbiased in every sense of the Word from one their circle, the social conditions as seen of the German workman in workshop and home, under Protection, thus granting to them chances of thinking for themselves what best to do when the time arrives for doing it. My journey has certainly made me rather keen on the question, and patiently I have waited for the return of one a sphere higher than myself in life—l refer to Mr. Ramsay Macdonald, M.P., whose report I have read in the "Daily News." Candidly I must say that I am very much disappointed at the report, which merely places before us information the majority of which is so easily obtained in this country, and reliable. He, in the first place, expresses his own o_pinion to the effect that Tariff Reform in Germany i 6 not the best for the land. Such was his opinion before leaving England. Our party of 64 humble working men of all political grades, without exception came back firmly convinced that Germany, as a protected country, is far in advance of England, under the supposed Free Trade. Surely the opinion of a body of working men who did not waste too much time in one particular quarter seeking information from the leaders of various societies, who know how far to go and what information to give, beneficial or detrimental to themselves, may be accepted? Now let us look at it-in an honest and feasible way. Can we possible expect to hear these men telling us that they, in a protected country, are prospering in every way, knowing as they do, how detrimental it would be to their trades (and to our benefit), if advocated by us to a successful reality? I leave you to answer the question. He (Mr. Ramsay MacDonald) also refers to the unemployed, bat does not tell us the limited period that the workmen, on an average, are unemployed. He must know that it does not extend, as in this country, six and many times twalve months. and is the cause of many murders and suicides in this country, which one reads day ,iy day. These are the things which lower the reputation of Englishmen in the eyes of the German, not Tariff Reform deputations, as announced by Mr. Ramsay -MacDonald, for their ambitions are to introduce a policy in this country of ours, which will place men in a position of having regular employment, which to a great extent dispenses with the worries that generally end up eo disastrously. Again, he states that high prices are paid for inferior commodities—a statement with no facts; also that the price of food stuffs is rising—still no figures. I again say that food in Germany is, if anything, cheaper than in England, and for comparison, kindly note prices of articles as given in my recent rejiort taken from various shop windows m Germany. I notice no comment on the black bread, nor even the horseflesh. How is it? Seemingly it did the trick on the last occasion, so now dies, with Chinese Slavery, or a smaller loaf. Again the feeling towards England is friendly. One of the reasons, as Mr. Ma/Donal 's report reads, is having England's markets. This one reason, in my opinion, is very oae-sided, and the sooner England with her Colonies protects her markets to the benefit of her own kinsmen, the less poverty and degradation we shall see in our midst. Referring to poverty, has Mr. MacDonald seen extreme poverty OD his tour? Has he been accosted with any beggars or even noticed the children and their condition? Has he 'visited the homes of the working men, and has he noticed the social condition of the workmen with special facilities in the workshops? He could not possibly help but notice the raising of so many new factories and the extension of old ones, and also, the railways. All these,things in a protected country show positive progress. Still no mention of them in his report. Did he even, as we have done, walk 10 and 12 miles a day on an average, finding out for ourselves the various conditions, and believing them as we saw them, without bringing home to the workmen of our country the advice of the foreigner as to what we should do and ought not to do? Englishmen are capable of thinking for themselves, which will be proved, I trust, in the near future.— Yours, etc., _  , T.