§ 21

British workmen laboured like men to win the war. Once or twice signs were evident that arrogant leaders were trying to seduce them, but they failed in the long run. But after the immediate danger zone was past, with reprehensible persistency the same leaders shook off their reserve forced upon them by a perilous situation and started a new war cry of class against class which the war and all the suffering it caused should have killed. But no! While we were all admiring the straightforward patriotism so tried by grave danger, anarchical leaders were considering the steps they would take to achieve an end by brutal force, thereby copying the tyrannical Germany that was being thrust from civilised companionship with the rest of the world. These are but mimics of a fallen power which had killed its soul, killed every instinct of justice, all pity and human kindness to bring about an end to gratify lust of conquest and overwhelming tyranny under the mark of Kultur. Trades union leaders threatened to starve London. Unable to coerce a none too strong Government by specious proposals and platform oratory, their threat was, happily, taken seriously, and the Government, in this instance, gave evidence of a power of forethought which it had too often neglected in the past. Those leaders were cheated of their prey of dead children and old people starving for want of milk. It is difficult to abstain from stronger words than are here used, difficult not to permit harsh words, so dastardly cowardly was the attempt which, although it failed, was made with a coldbloodedness that was more German than English. That it failed to succeed was not the fault of the authors of the scheme, who intended it to force the pace, intimidate the people and the Government, and establish trades union leaders as rulers of the country. In point of fact, it was blackmail! On the contrary, they have secured obloquy from every decent man and woman, and have happily placed themselves in a position of disorder which we hope will continue. If they try the same game again, if they are not met with physical resistance, they ought to be, and if the leaders of what is in reality “conspiracy” are not “doing time,” the Government will have to answer some not pleasant questions from a majority of orderly citizens which is resolved not to be set out of order by a minority of exploiters entirely out for their own interests and self-aggrandisement. If the Government had shown weakness, as it so often has done in somewhat similar circumstances, its doom would have been sealed. It has too often tried the patience of the country by unfulfilled promises and shifting ground when obstacles were obstinate, and an entirely reprehensible policy of compromise. This time it surprised the country by being prepared to deal with a crafty trap. It caught the vermin in the trap they had set to intimidate the country. That strike has gone far to prove that Labour, as at present led and organised, is no more fitted to rule than a naughty, ill brought up child is to rule its parents. We believe the soul of the British workman is still clean, au fond; it has been tempted to be otherwise by bad guides, taught to be dishonest by them, to be selfish, hard, even brutal, but enough of the old stamina has survived to encourage the belief that, under good, wise and sympathetic, but at the same time strong leadership, the British workmen will regain the confidence they have lost and the position of respect which has been compromised for them.