CHAPTER XII THE WORKERS AT WESTMINSTER THE British Labour Party transformed itself during the first half of 1918. A federation of trade unions, trade councils and socialist societies it became a national party of workers "by hand or by brain.” Its many streams gathered into a watercourse. The passage of the Representation of the People Act, adding eight or more million voters to the electorate, made it necessary for the political labor movement to widen its course to take in these new affluents, or be swamped by the very suffrage reform it had helped bring into flood. Moreover, labor was forewarned by its leaders that the approach of reconstruction called for far-reaching engineering by the people themselves, if the post-bellum watersheds of existence were not to be controlled by the propertied interests through their hold on the old parties. The political movement gathered head from the same freshets of social unrest that we have seen mounting higher and higher behind the conviction that with respect to the conduct of the war itself, not in national resistance to Prussian aggression (in that labor was at one with the government), but in a working-class diplomacy, in the appeal to democratic elements in Central Europe and in the establishment of an unimperialistic peace, the workers needed a free channel for expression distinct from the Foreign Office or the War Cabinet. So, in six months' time came the reorganization of the British Labour Party, the breaking of the truce with the government and the formulation of its radical domestic platform. The first and second of these developments will be taken up in this chapter; the third in the chapter succeeding. By the new constitution adopted at a special conference in late February,' provision was made for the first time for individual membership in the party, and special facilities were given to women electors to join. A local labor party was called for in each Parliamentary constituency, with separate sections for men and women. Hitherto, there had been less than 100 such locals. The National Executive was enlarged from 16 members to 22, 13 to be chosen * Appendix III. from the trade unions and other societies, five from the local organizations, and four from women. The "objects” of the party (hitherto defined simply as “to organize and maintain in Parliament and the country a political labor party") were expanded to include the promotion of the interests of all producers without distinction of class or occupation. These objects were set out under three headings—"National,” “Inter-Dominion” and “International”: NATIONAL (a) To organize and maintain in Parliament and in the country a political labor party, and to insure the establishment of a local labor party in every county constituency and every parliamentary borough, with suitable divisional organization in the separate constituencies of divided boroughs. (b) To coöperate with the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Union Congress, or other kindred organizations, in joint political or other action in harmony with the party constitution and standing orders. (c) To give effect as far as may be practicable to the principles from time to time approved by the party conference. (d) To secure for the producers by hand or by brain the full fruits of their industry, and the most equitable distribution thereof that may be possible, upon the basis of the common ownership of the means of production and the best obtainable system of popular administration and control of each industry or service. (e) Generally to promote the political, social and economic emancipation of the people, and more particularly of those who depend directly upon their own exertions by hand or by brain for the means of life. INTER-DOMINION (f) To coöperate with the labor organizations in the dominions and dependencies with a view to promoting the purposes of the party and to take common action for the promotion of a higher standard of social and economic life for the working population of the respective countries. INTERNATIONAL (g) To coöperate with the labor organizations in other countries, and to assist in organizing a federation oi nations for the maintenance of freedom and peace, and for the establishment of suitable machinery for the adjustment and settlement of international disputes by conciliation or judicial arbitration, and for such international legislation as may be practicable. |