Pioneer

The C.L.C. and the I.L.P. A REPLY TO MR. BROCKHOUSE. I BY W. J. EDWARDS. I TO THE EDITOR. I Sir,—Whether it is possible to get an under- standing between the I.L.P. and the C.L.C. is a question of such dimension that before a com- prehensive and satisfactory answer could be given one would need to probe deeper than the surface of these two respective institutions and although I have an inclination to give my own .interpretation and my own answer to the ques- tion, I will merely confine myself to a few of the misconceptions arising out of Mr. Brock- house's article in your last week's issue. These misconceptions, though long since killed are, it seems, by no means dead, and while on the one hand many of us are not at all sur- prised to come across them in the intellectual make-up of the unitiated I.L.P.eer, we are, on the other hand genuinely surprised to find them still lingering underneath the caps of its repre- sentative organisers. I will pay Mr. Brockhouse the compliment of being earnest and sincere; that he fully believes what lie says about the -C.L.C., but in paying him such a compliment to his integrity of purpose it must be at the ex- pense of his intelligence. If lie believes what he says of the C.L.C. and Marxism in general, then he is earnest and honest in bringing for- ward the charges. On the other hand, if he had taken the trouble to ascertain the nature of the C.L.C. philosophy, those misconceptions which unfortunately characterise the whole of his ar- ticle would never have been written. And be- cause some of u,, think the C.L.C. itself and the all-embracing philosophy it represents will play the most important part on this side of the social revolution, it becomes increasingly neces- sary to combat those misconceptions in the ini- tial stages of the movement. NOT ANTI-POLITICAL. I Mr. Bropkholbc starts off by saying that to the C.L.C. man political action is useless." That is a general statement, and". I take it, includes all aL.C.ers. To begin with, he is hopelessly wrong. As one of its founders, and one who has been in close touch with it since that memorable •event, I have no hesitation in nailing that state- ment as false. And it is not the first time I e nailed it. Of all the C.L.C.eis I know there are at the outside estimate only about six who dis- believe in political action. Only six out of a hundred or so have committed such a crime. They. lean as a rule towards some sort of poli- tical action, but do not, a.s Mr. Blockhouse would say, tie themselves down to any hide- bound policy. But that is not all. There is moro in that statement than meets the eye. The implication is that C.L.C.ers do not believe in political action because of the C.L.C. teaching. Another nail, please- The O.L.C. has nothing to do with political'or industrial action. It primarily concerns itself in laying bare to the students the history of the working-dass-(may I add for the benefit of the average I.L.P.er that the working-class has a history)—and the mechanism of capitalist pro- duction. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the policy of the student afterwards. When they return home the desire is felt to join some branch of the Labour Movement, and even- tually they join up with either the S.L. P., the B.S.P., or even the 1.L.P. The C.L.C. lay the facts, the students draw the conclusions, their own conclusions. Let us take two men coming back from the C.L.C. One "becomes the brilliant editor of the Socialist," and a membei of the S.L.P. The other becomes- a. leader in an indus- trial organisation, and is opposed to political action. If the C.L.C., by implication if not by letter, is anti-political, why are both these men not in an industrial organisation? The truth of the matter is this: The C.L.C. through its teaching explains the economics of capitalism, and this eventually treates in the breast of every student the desire to abolish the rule of capital. Its work is then finished. Which branch of the mevemont the students joins is then determined by himself and not by the College. The C.L.C. itself is neither for nor against political or any other form of action, and the statement tha.t politieal action is useless to the" C.L.C. man is a lie. The large percentage of C.L.C. men who are in political institutions are not there, Mr. Broekhouse, to flirt with the revolution. They are there because they believe it to be a useful channel for the expenditure of their abilities, and for the furtherance of the cause • of Socialism. THE DISTINCTION (?). I "The I.L.P. says Mr. Broekhouse,- is a propaganda and educational body seeking to convert people to socialism." Very good. The -D.L.C., Mr. Broekhouse, is a propaganda and educational body seeking to help people to an L'NDEitST\NDINO or OAPIXALI8M. Right there's the rnh. That kind of Socialism—which used to be the exclusive property of the I.L.P. -lias always been regarded as an expression ot abso- lute truth. You have only to discover it and then establish it. in the world. Or, as dear old Lansbury would put it, "you have only to will it and jbhe trick it done." All you have to do is to lay hold of this absolute truth, independent of time, space, and historical development, in- stil it into the skulls of every individual, and Socialism becomes a reality. To this school of thought Socialism is some nebulous thing soar- ing up above, as it were; something evolved from the human brain independent of experi- ence. It is a. kind of social invention superim- posed, through propaganda, upon the whole of Our delightfully harmonious society. C.L.C. CONCEPTION. I The C.L.C. conception of Socialism is not made of that stuff. It begins by laying bare the actual mechanism of modern Capitalism. Socialism will then follow as night follows day. In fact., one is the complement of the other. It teaches first of all that there arc in human society two distinct and well marked economic -classes, the class that MAKE and the class that TAKE surplus-value. Out of the recognition of this fact arise the class struggle, the I.L.P. not- withstanding. This conception of Socialism is not an independent discovery of the proverbial great man," but simply the intellectual re- flex of this actual economic conflict, where each class becomes conscious of its class interests and fight them out. Socialism is the actual issue of struggle between these two antagonistic classes, plus the existing anarchy of modem capitalist production. It is a misconception of Socialism which has its, birth below, within the ranks of the workers themselves. It is their movement. It is conditioned by time, space, and the histori- cal development of man. These, I take it, are the conceptions of Socialism which manifest themselves within the Labour Movement at the present time. Can Mr. Brockhouse reconcile these two conceptions and thus bring about that mutual common ground he so desires? ECONOMIC MAN BOGEY. I It is a pity that Mr. Broekhouse had nothing I fetter to write about in concluding I (Continued at foot of next column).

Objected to Police. I T. I. MARDY JONES ON TRADE UNION I RIGHT OF ASSOCIATION. T. 1. Mardy Jones took strong exception to principle of police attendance at trade union meetings of the (iivm Miners Lodge, S.W.M..F., at Llantwit Vardre, on Sunday, at which P.S. I Mainwaring and another officer were present in uniform. Mr. Jones emphasised the fact that the meeting was called for the < transaotion of Federation business alone in laying his protest. P.S. Mainwaring intimated he had been in- structed to attend to see that there were no breaches of the Defence of the Realm Act. Both Mr. Mardy Jones and Mr. Dailey, the lodge secretary, assured the officers that the business to be transacted was concerned wit4 mining matters only, and P.S. Mainwa.ring having expressed himself as being satisfied with the assurance given, both officers left the meet- ing. I After considering a report of the Cardiff con- ference on the Tredegar dispute, the meeting unanimously agreed to a levy of 4/- per head, to be paid at the rate of 6d. per week for eight weeks, in aid of a fund to alleviate 'distress caused by the stoppage.

Two Essential in Middle Schools. I MISS E. P. HUGHES' ADDRESS AT I CARDIFF GATHERING. Mr. Stanley Watkins presided over a gather- ing of the South Wales Branch of the, Welsh National Association for Reconstruction, held at the Friends' Meeting House, Cardiff, last Satur- day a.t which Miss E. P. Hughes opened a dis- cussion on Education and the l\Iajoritv. Miss Hughes thought it extremelv likely that a scheme for" middle schools would be started in Glamorgan, and in that connection two es- sential points should be borne well in mind. Every child Rhould be removed from the pri- mary school not later than at the age of 12 years, and the majority would go to a, new kind of school altogether, and not to the present county school. This was an attempt to bring within the reach of 90 per cent. of school chil- dren the advantages of secondary education. There was every prospect of carrying the scheme into effect. In the discussion- Mr. Ivor Jones and Mr. Percy Watkins took part, the latter pointing out the difficulties of securing adequate teachers and school buildings.

C. L C. and I. L. P. Rapprochement. I I BY J. T. WALTON NEWBOLD. I TO THE EDITOR. I Dear Sir,-It is very good to see Harry Broekhouse coming forward with this sugges- tion of a more sympathetic understanding be- tween the C.L.C. and the I.L.P. For my part I have been endeavouring for some considerahle time, not always with the degree of encourage- ment I would have liked to find, to bring about a closer relationship between the two elements. Some C.L.C. men may and, I think, do dislike the 1.L.P very much, and I know members of the I.L.P. who cordially detest the C.L.C., and a number more who shy at association with it. Neither side is altogether blameless in this re- spect, and it is highly probable that the prota- gonists of both sides have dealt harshly with each other on occasion. But, so far as we of the C.L.C. Movement are concerned, we are in the habit of dealing hard knocks whenever we enter into controversy. Comrade Brockhouse makee a very serious error when he says, to the C.L.C. man political action is useless." There are a few amongst us who take up this position, but for one Noah Ablett there are very many like Will Craik, Mark Starr, Eden and Ce dar Paul and tiie most successful of recent ami-war candidates, Ebby Edwards, who are firm believers in both industrial and political action. Our aim—and I speak as one who has thrown in his lot unequivoca'bly with the C.L.C. education as distinct from the so-called impar- tial education of the universitieis—is to develop a cultural equivalent for the political method of the I.L.P. We stand for independent work- ing-class education. We base our position upon a recognition of the class-struggle, and with that as our foundation we set out to train the worker*- for the conflict, to make them more conscious and more capable alike on the indus- trial and political fields. Quite frankly, it passes my comprehension how any member of the I.L.P., anyone who has handed in his name and pledged himself to overthrow Capitalism and establish Socialism, can take up any other position than that of the O.L.C. Having taken that step, how can lie bring an open mind to an examination of the industrial system and be- gin to consider whether he will accept Socialist or other economics, philosophy and so forth? If his mind is still open his position is outside the Socialist organisation. I.L.P. METHOD CORRECT. lior my part, however much I may and do disagree with much that the I.L.P. says official- ly, whether 'on the question of the Socialist State, of the Socialist attitude to war, to Parliamentary inst-itution, and to anti-war pro- paganda-just to mention a few—I am not hopeless as to the possibility of making a con- siderable minority into a substantial majority. The MATTER of the propaganda apart, I believe that the I.L.P. METHOD is substantially correct. But propaganda calculated to make members is not suited to transforming those new recruits into thoroughly capable exponents of Socialism. At present that seem* to be all that is required or desired of our writers and speakers. Everv- thing must be diluted to the Henry Dubb standard. It might be enough if we were concerned to build up a voting machine for re- turning certain of us to Parliament, there to think and, act for a faithful following. But that is not what I conceive to have been the aim of Kei r Hardie and those who founded the Party. Our aim, surely, is to prepare every man and woman to participate personally and directly in the establishment and organisation of Socialism. That means a rank and file educated and en- lightened in the principles and practice of So- cialism. The workers- must themselves over- throw Capitalism and themselves initiate and constitute Social-Democracy. That is what we of the C.L.C. mean by Social Revolution. That is why we are so insistent on thorough and sys- tematic educationaF effort. Class-consciousness must vibrate not merely emotionally, but also intelligently throughout the whole movement The workers must realise the tremendous pur- port of what they are doing. It is not a win- ning of seats, a series of strike victories. It is the eradication of a property civilisation and the inauguration of a social commonwealth. AN OBJECTION. I It is good to hear that the I.L.P. is (now becoming) alive to the dangers of State Social- ism. We would like it to clarify its pronounce- ments on the State and the organisation of pro- duction and social administration under Social- ism. We would like to discuss these matters with its people in our classes so that together we may help each other to a better understand- ing—because the C.L.C. is educating not for education's sake, as a. thing in itself," but as a means to the end of Socialist advancement. (I am not quite sure that its members are Ii the most virile and aggressive election of organised labour." I think that smacks too much of self- assertion. After all, there are some fine, fellows in the B.S.P..and the S.L.P.1) We object not merely to the flabby Labour Party man, but also to the emotional pacifists and the senti- mental adherents who speak in the accents of middle-class culture and ideology. We have no objection to a man as middle-class, but to his bringing with him his economic and philosophi- cal outt. The Socialist is not concerned "with the whole of life. As a Socialist lie is concerned with economic, with maote.ria.1 and with sociological factors. But the C.L.O. man, most emphati- cally, adopts the view of William Morris that the cause alone is worthy t-ill the good davs brill the best," and consequently directs his studies to the end of social emancipation. We should join issue with Harry Broekhouse when he leaves the earth a.nd begins to mount into the heavenly (I nearly said "astral") planes of sentiment. His" imponderaole fac- tors are not quite so imponderable to the his- torical materialist (with whom, dear comrade, please do not confuse the naturalistic material- ist.) We have heard that our comrade is com- mencing to read the Marxian literature of Kerr and Co., and have distinct hopes that he will yet come to appreciate ideas as only a Marxian canv a.nd to see the reality—more fascinating than romance—that underlies the mental con- cepts of the present and the past. For myself— and I am sure for my colleagues of the C.L.C. and the Plebs "—I welcome him as an indi- vidual—and welcome him more enthusiastically still if he comes officiallv-to make manifest that the I.L.P. embraces not only independent politics, independent industrialism, but their in- dispensable corollary—independent working-class education.

RHONDDA LABOUR PARTY. I At. a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Rhondda. Labour Party, the siibieet--of the forthcoming Labour Party Conference was dis- cussed. It was decided to be represented. For the National Executive of the Labour Party in the local Labour section, it was decided to nominate the President, Mr. T. O. Morris. For Secretary and Treasurer. Messrs. Henderson, M.P., and Macdonald, I.P., were respectively nominated.

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Persecution of Walter Fislipool. I LABOUR COUNCILLORS AND MERTHYR I EDUCATION AUTHORITY. HIS RE-INSTATEMENT EFFECTED. I The case of Walter .Fishpool, the Dowlais mason, was on Wednesday again before the Merthyr Education Committee, who, it will be remembered, although he had been employed to carry out some building repairs at the Mer- thyr Vale schools, declined to utilise his services for similar work in connection with the Dowlais School Clinic, apparently on the grounds that! the man was a conscientious objector. TIle Authority were asked to receive a depu- tation from the Trades and Labour Council re- lative to Fishpool's position. Mr. Wm. Jones (Treharris) questioned the advisability of hearing the deputation, and didn't think it wise to broach the matter again whilst Mr. Will. Lewis (Penydarren) raised a point of order to whether the minute re- fusing the continuance of employment to Fish- pool having been confirmed, the Authority was entitled to re-open the case. These objections were over-ruled by Messrs. L. M. Francis (Penydarreai) and A. Wilson (Tre- harris) and the deputation, consisting of Messrs. T. J. Evans and Hugh Williams, was admitted.. TRADES COUNCIL'S CONDEMNATION. I Mr. Evitns said that the Trades and Labour Council—concerned not specifically with the case of Fishpool, but. rather with the principle in- volved-regarded the action of the Committee in declining to confirm the man's appointment by the Borough Architect (Mr. Thackeray) as both foolish and wicked. Conscientious objec- tors were recognised by the law when they had satisfied the proper authorities that their ob- jection to taking part, in war was genuine, and the law then exempted such people from mili- tary service. Such had been the course of events with Fishpool. Called to the colours un- der the Military Service Acts, he appealed for exemption on conscientious grounds to the local tribunal, who recommended him to the Pelham Committee for civil employment. The Military Representative, however, appealed against the decision, and his appeal was upheld at the County Tribunal at Pontypridd, with the result that Fishpool was brought before the courts eventually as an absentee, and handed over to the military authorities. His court-martial fol- lowed for refusing to obey orders, and sen- tence promulgated in due course. Next he was brought before the Central Tribunal, in London, and this' body, recognising the genuineness of his convictions, referred him to the Home Office authorities for employment under the Alterna- tive Service Scheme1. After twelve months' ser- vice, breaking none oi the regulations mean- while, he was in accordance with the Home Office regulations set free to obtain work a,t his own trade in the public service or other employment of national importance without being hampered in any way. Naturally, he sought work at home, got it from Mr. Thackeray, only to be turned down by the Education Authority be- cause lie was a C.O. "FOOLISH AND WICKED." I Mr. David Davies (Pant): Shame! Mr. Evans, proceeding, amplified the Trades Council's designation of the Committee's atti- tude foolish because with expense and with hards-hip to his family, the man would be now compelled to seek work away from home, and wicked because* when the law said a man was free it as an outrage upon our cher- ished ideas of freedom and justice. to further penalise him. A misguided conscience might be a bad thing but petty persecution of a man pos- sessing such an one was much worse. Mr. W illiaiMs, conceding the view that every man claiming the right of citizenship should take up arms in defence of -their country when threatened as he had done himself—for he joined the colours in 1914—protested, that in "respect to this man his so-called crime had been expiated and declared that this continued punishment for his unpopular convictions was entirely wrong. On the withdrawal of the deputation Mr. Francis asked the Chairman (Mr. Wm. Jones) to accept a motion to suspend Standing Orders. QUALMS OF A CHAIRMAN. I Chairman: Whatever might be the outcome of the visit of the deputation, if I were you I would not force the matter to-night. Person- ally I have no objection to consider it again. If the matter is to he discussed to-night you know what, the result will be. Mr. Francis replied that the information now before them amplified that in the possession of the committee—if there was any' at that time— at their previous meeting and when the ques- tion then came up for discussion there were very few, owipg to it's being brought on late in the agenda, left on the Labour benches. Touching upon Fishpool's family responsibilities, Mr. Francis said that the man had dependent upon him his invalid father-in-law, entrusted to his care by the old gentleman's son, who was fight- ing in France. The Mountain Ash Council did not bother about the views of the conscientious objectors employed through a contractor to con- struct their waterworks at Penderyn; so why should Merthyr quibble jn this respect? The point was they wanted work done, and it was immaterial by whom as long as it was properly carried out—which Fishpool, as a qualified tradesman, could certainly do. Chairman: You had better leave it in abey- ance. Mr. D. Davies: Well it is a great injustice, anywav. Mr. Wilson moved that the matter should be | referred to the Sites- and Buildings Committee, but Alderman Charles Griffiths (Dowlais) ob- jected to the delay and advocated the suspension of Standing Orders. WHEN LABOURITES WERE MISSING. The Chairman thought Alderman Griffiths' suggestion would place him (Chairman) in an invidious position as there were very few of the it other side present. Alderman Griffiths retorted that there were only one or two Labour members present at the previous meeting when Fishpool's dismissal was carried. Chairman: Very well. You can discuss what is to be done with this motion. Thereupon Mr. Francis moved the deletion of the minute debarring Fishpool from employ- ment. Alderman R. P. Rees (Dowlais) moved a di- i-ect negative and Mr. Lewis seconded. The motion was adopted by seven votes to foiii-, those voting against it being 'Aldermen Rees, Hankey (Mavor), Messrs. Lewis, and H. M. Lloyd. I A PIQUANT SCENE. Mr. Francis next brought forward a motion for the re-engagement of the man, and Mr. Le in-is arose on a point of order. Mr. Francis: Nothing disgusts me more than to see a man who is a deacon in a Christian Church standing up and taking up an of this kind. Mr. Lewis (interrupting): It is a great shame- Mr. Francis: I am not attached to a church. There are some people attached to Christian Churches who ought to be outside them. If they were honest they would be outside. Chairman (appealingly): Don't be personal. Just then, Alderman R.ees, arising from h: seat, remarking. "I am tired of this," Jeft tho meeting and was followed by Mr. Lewis. Mr. F rancis' motion was then put and carried by the Labout majority.

The Electric Theatre Any lover of the ••Arabian Nights" of Robert Louis Stevenson who missed the first programme at the Electric Theatre this week and missed the Jessie Lasky picturisation of this Hawaiian fairy story "The Bottle Imp" is to be commiser- ated with. The picture was worthy of the fertile imagination of the great literary romanticist. The wierd charm of the" Bottlo Imp was ex- cellently preserved and a fine local colouring was given by the employment of native per- formers amidst the natural beauties of the pearly isles of the soft South Seas. Sessua Hovakawa. to whom fell the principal part, is a great artiste, and one whom we shall welcome again, we hope. in further plays of the sort. "The Ice-Man's Bride" was the Triangle comedy; and amongst the fill-ups was an excel- lent Lubin murder mystery picture The At- torney's Conscience. From Thursday the top line has been worthily held by a thrilling drama, "The Pho-i?am's held by while "The Red Ace" Kas an excel- lent instalment, and good, comedy; Gazette, and minor numbers make up a programme that fully maintains the high Electric standard. The music offered by the little orchestra now play- ing in the bou,?e is as merÜorioHs as the pictures. The Electric, with its oool twUight. and excel- lent programmes, set to appropriate light mu«jiet is a place of delight these hot days. Next week's two programmes are extremely promising. Pauline .Frederick plavs the prin- cipal parti in the first big-liner, The Eternal Ci ty," the splendid screen version of Hall Caine's best work. Skirts," as the new Triangle, promises a long round of fun and frolic, and a great new short serial of the world of adventure and out-o'-doors is opening up m this programme under the title The Girl of the Lumberlands." Dare-devil Helen Holmes høa.ds the list. From Thursday the big feature is a Lasky se- quel to The White Ifan," the popular pi a v. This one, is "The Squaw Man's Son," and its leading role is played by the great athlete Wal- lace Reid, who is cat-P with that Laskv parti- cular star. Anita. King. "Cast Adrift" is the comedy. PLAYGOER.

G. B. S. and Sydney Webb. A SHAVIAN APPRECIATION. In view or the depreciation of Sidney Webb that i-= much too common a.mcmgst some sections of the Social-Democratic forces the following views of George Berna.rd Shaw a.re particu- larly interesting. The cutting is taken from the "Miscellany" in Monday's "Manchester Guardian." Says the writer: "Mr. Bernard Shaw mast heartily endorse the selection of Mr. Sidney Webo, whoiti he considers the cleverest man ill England.1 as the Labour candidate for the University of London at the next general election. They first, met in 1879 at a debate ioi- the Dow defunct Zetetical Society. Sidney Webb at that rime.' says Mr. Shaw, was a man of abou? 21, with small pretty hands and fed Of -1-boIIT, 21, v;th prett-v- han4cl- -),nd. feW? 4-111<,] t ?l,oifle thit ai) an head, and remarkably thick, strong, dark hair. He knew an about the subject of debate: knüw more than the lecturer, knew more than any- body present; had read everything that had ever been written on the subject, and remem- bered all the facts that bore on it. He used notes, ticked them off one by one; threw them away, and finished with a coolness and clearness that to me, in my then trembling secme-l miraculous. Quite the 4P ri- C; t ever did in my life was to force my friendship on Webb, to extort his, and to keep

than to call from the grave the "Economic Man" bogey. Laid to rest by Marx himself, he no longer exists. Indeed, it would be more true to say he never existed at all, except, of course, in the befuddled and embaraesed brains of Marx critics. The Marxian student never attempts to explain the development of life and society from one scientific theory. Anyone with the flimsiest acquaintance with the Materialistic Conception of History knows full well that all the other factors are acknowledged and incor- porated in that theory. The economic theories and the general teaching of the C.L.C. are de- rived not from one branch of knowledge alone, but from the application of the results of the achievements of modern knowledge and philo- sophy to the field of social economics. Glimpses of the radiant world of science and philosophy, leading up as they do to Socialist ideas and ideals in their world are not the peculiar pro- perty of an I.L.P. organiser. Let us hope that in future Mr. Broekhouse will try to understand the nature of the institution he so brazenly re- presents to your readers. When he has done so he will not then accuse O.L.C. students of ex- plaining life and society from one scientific theory, or that they are opposed to political action.