An outline of the British labor movement 1923

Introduction

BY THE RIGHT HONORABLE ARTHUR HENDERSON

I have often been impressed with the deep interest which is displayed by American students of public affairs in the growth, organization, spirit, methods, aims and ideals of the British labor movement. It is remarkable the number of investigators who come individually or in groups to study labor conditions and labor organization in this country. Business men, financial magnates, educationalists, university professors, students, political thinkers, professional men and women, trade-union research workers—men and women of all classes, interests and opinions—devote a considerable amount of their time when visiting England to making a close personal study of industrial and political labor, of its sections, its schools of thought, its tendencies and its personalities.

Perhaps this is due in a measure to two outstanding facts: (a) that the organized labor movement in Britain is regarded almost universally as the most powerful, highly organized, and progressive working class organization in the world, and (b) that the political labor movement is expected soon to be called upon to assume the responsibilities of national government. The British Trade Union movement is the pioneer working class movement, and its long history, which is crowded with the varied experiences that are inseparable from pioneer work and which offers valuable lessons and guides to newer movements of a similar character, is a rich mine for present day students

Vv v1 INTRODUCTION of industrial affairs. The political labor movement is of a@ comparatively modern origin, its history dating back to 1900. Yet in the space of twenty-three years it has made such remarkable progress and developed such power as to be the second political party in the State today and admittedly the party from which the alternative government to the present government will have to be drawn.

Many books have been written about the industrial and political organization and activities of. British labor, but all of them together present a very inadequate record of its history. A full and impartial record of the movement would indeed occupy many large volumes and would be almost equivalent to a record of British industrial and social history during the past seventy years. Such a work remains yet to be undertaken, but in the meantime the constant stream of much less ambitious ventures dealing with this or that phase of organization or policy, though it does not quench the growing thirst for information about labor does, at any rate, give partial satisfaction. Mr. Blanshard’s Outline is another small rivulet flowing into the main stream. It covers a vast amount of ground, and while it may not be free from small imperfections, it is nevertheless an excellent flash-light picture of the various sides of the British labor movement. It is the work of an American trade unionist rapidly surveying the industrial and political field and making comparisons between the British and American movements. I have no doubt that the book will be both interesting and informative to American workers and students.

British labor welcomes and appreciates the American interest in its work. The visit of American investigators and others desirous of studying our organization, methods and policy is important and useful not only in that it leads to a better understanding of what British Labor stands for,

INTRODUCTION vil but also because it affords those engaged in American working, class movements and those who are active in British working class movements an opportunity to acquire a truer appreciation of each other. Friendship, understanding, mutual esteem and intercourse form the true basis of peace, and the more points of sympathetic contact there are between national working class movements the stronger will become the power and influence of world labor for the maintenance of peace.

Labor the world over is essentially international in its outlook and spirit. The spirit of insularity among governments has contributed in the past to the creation of misunderstandings and antagonisms. Labor is not insular. It stands for no narrow or selfish nationalism. It stands for international peace, international justice and _ international understanding. And national labor movements must have their points of contact with one another. They ought to understand each others’ problems, aims, intentions, aspirations. They ought to be something more than neighborly; they ought to be in living association. Their problems may be different, their methods may vary, but they are aiming at the same ultimate goal and they are animated by the same spirit.

American labor and our own labor movement, working together in harmony and understanding, may exercise a very powerful influence on international affairs of common interest. The sympathetic study of each others’ organizations, the publication of books explaining the tendencies, aims and methods of each others’ movements, and the personal contact which is established by the exchange of visits will assist in the strengthening of the old ties of friendship and in the cultivation of new ones.

A. H.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This little book is a compilation of the things which an American trade unionist found of most interest in the British labor movement. While I am responsible for all the errors, I am not responsible for all the hard work that was needed to discover the facts contained herein. Generous Britishers of every class have talked to me, reviewed my findings or written books and magazine articles giving me the required information. The books and magazine articles are, for the most part, contained in the bibliography at the end of the book. The Britishers are so numerous that I could not name them all but I must mention first Arthur Greenwood, who reviewed the manuscript in its original form and made many valuable suggestions, and other leaders who reviewed certain sections including W. W. Henderson, G. D. H. Cole, J. J. Mallon, Malcolm Sparkes, Mrs. Barbara Drake, Thomas Alcock and Miss Madeline Symons. To H. B. Pointing, of the National Union of Agricultural Workers, I am indebted for much of the material contained in Chapter 13. Arthur Gleason, the pioneer writer on this subject in America, also gave me valuable assistance. Most of all I am indebted to those American friends who made my visits to England possible.

Pep

Contents

INTRODUCTION BY THE RIGHT HONORABLE ARTHUR HENDERSON .

Chapter 1 America And British Labor

A Labor Movement with a Tradition—The Labor Unity—The Unequal Distribution of Wealth.

Chapter 2

THE LABOR PARTY. RUDE OELCUN a, Teh Tat Oe BHU aE TT gO The Rise of the Labor Party—How the Labor Party is Organized—How the Candidates are Chosen—Leadership in the House of Commons— The Labor Party and International Socialism— The Communists.

Chapter 3 What A Labor Government Would Do

The Prospect of a Labor Government—The Formation of a Ministry—The Four Pillars of the House—Nationalization of the Mines and Railroads — Other Industries — Where the Money Would Come From—The Capital Levy—‘“Revolution by Consent’”—War and Armament—Labor and the League of Nations—Labor and the Empire—Labor and Prohibition.

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Lf xii CONTENTS CHAPTER 4

HOW THE WORKERS ARE ORGANIZED. ...

The Power of the Unions—The Union Shon ane Trades Union Congress—The Labor General Staff—The Big Four Intellectual Machine—The Great Unions—The Triple Alliance—The General Federation of Trade Unions—The “White Collar Workers’—The Amalgamation Movement—International Organization.

The Invasion of Industry —Wages ae Vendone Conditions—Women in ‘the Unions—Special Women’s Organizations—Women and the Labor Party — Militant Housekeepers —The Women’s

General Staff.

Chapter 8 Whitley Councils And Trade Boards

The Whitley Joint Councilsk—How the Whitley Councils Have Worked—The Trade Boards— Unionism and the Trade Boards.

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CONTENTS Xiil CHAPTER 9

PAGE SRCGURII2 FOR THE WORKERS. . .020. 202°... 108 The Government and Unemployment Insurance—

, Unemployment Insurance and the Unions—Unemployment Insurance by Industry—Old Age Pensions—Security Against Sickness—Workmen’s

Compensation.

Chapter 10

THE CO-OPERATIVES AND THE BUILDING GUILDS 117 The Greatest British Industry—The Co-operative Idea—The Great Co-operative Organizations— From Paint Brushes to Pepper—Co-operatives and Their Employees—Co-operators in Politics—How the Unions and the Co-operatives Help Each Other — Co-operative Education — The Building Guilds—The Guild in Action.

Chapter 11

VE ne eal a eae eC eee Ute 1+ | The Rise of the Organizer—Political Leadership— Who’s Who in British Labor.

Chapter. 12

WOREMHOWMDUCATION 6.282 2 oe eo age The Need of Education—What Workers’ Education Is—The Workers’ Educational Association— The Tutorial Classes—The Summer Schools— Ruskin College—The Left Wing Educational Movement—The Unfinished Task.