The events of the past week in South Wales are
very far from bearing out Mr. Keil. Hardie's boast that the Trade- Unions might safely be raised above the law, since they could be trusted to do all things in order and decency. In the Rhymney Valley and elsewhere there has been a campaign to compel non-Unionists to enter the Federation by methods which are not very far distant from terrorism. Men have been lassoed and dragged through the streets, bound with ropes and carried to Union meetings, and dressed up in women's clothes as a, public spectacle. One man was rescued with difficulty by the police as he was being thus paraded, and the lives of the unfortunate non-Unionists have been made a burden to them. Had they been more numerous the result would have been a serious riot, and it speaks well for the courage of the few that they stood their ground so long. If this is "peaceful persuasion," we can only say that these words have lost all meaning. This ruffianism did not take place during the actual progress of a strike, but represents a serious attempt to coerce all workmen into a certain organisa- tion. The worst feature- of the case is that there has been no attempt to curb the disorders on the part of those apostles of peace, the Labour leaders. The incident is a significant commentary on the wisdom of that position outside and above the law which the British people are being asked to accord to the Trade-Unions, and it is the more to be regretted because of the excellent work that these Unions have recently done in connexion with the South Wales Coal Conciliation Board.
Previous page
