LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY- AND THE WORKING MAN: [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Knowing something of the organization of the Con- servative Party, in which respect I seem to have an advantage over your correspondent—." A Conservative Working Man" —I was not disturbed by his letter in your issue of August 23rd. I have been justified in my confidence in the Conservative organization by the communications that have been issued by the principal agent of the Conservative; Party to all con, stituencies, in regard to the organization of the wage-earners. Your correspondent apparently finds it. easy to base his criticism on the past ; I am more concerned with the present and the future. As a Conservative working'-man, I accept
in good faith the written word of the Conservative principal agent, that the intention of the. party is to build up and improve upon the experience of the past and to ensure that the workers in the party shall receive recognition and encouragement.
The scheme of the Conservative Party aims at securing that in every constituency there shall be a committee of repre- sentative working men and women to give expression to the working-class point of view, and to see that Conservative wage-earners have every opportunity of progress and pro- motion in regard to local government bodies, the bench of magistrates and Parliament. If your -correspondent is- truly a Conservative working-man and loyal to the party and its organization, he will know where to obtain con- firmation of the faith that I hold. As regards party agents, of whom your correspondent seems to have a poor opinion, I would say of them, as of the Trade Unions and Co-operative Societies, that if we have not got what we want. it is our own fault. Conservative organizations are governed by a democratic principle, and when I find people grumbling- at decisions with which they do not agree, I wonder what they have done to mend the situation and whether they are really. within the organizations whose acts they criticize. The appointment of agents usually rests with committees elected upon a democratic basis, and if we have not pulled our weight in the selection of those committees, we have no right to grumble at their decisions.
You will notice that I am dealing with the broad question of democratic government and am declining to be led by your correspondent into questions involving the criticism of individuals. As regards the Unionist Labour Association, the term used by your correspondent identifies the organiza- tion that he desires to criticize and also limits definitely his right to claim knowledge of the Unionist Labour movement as a whole. The Unionist Labour organization in North- umberland and the City of Newcastle is a growing. and virile force consisting of working men and women who differ from some Socialists and your correspondent in this; that they see nothing undemocratio in accepting the help of, and in working side by side with, those who belong to all interests and all classes, in a united party, so long as means exist for the free and adequate expression of the views and aspira- tions of Conservative working men and women.—I am,
Sir, &c., A LOYAL CONSERVATIVE WORRTNG MAN.
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