15.02.1996

The menace of May

From 'The Workers’ Weekly', paper of the Communist Party of Great Britain, February 12 1926

[Home secretary] Sir William Joynson Hicks went to great lengths ... to outline the elaborate plans made in preparation for the crisis ahead.

He said ... that he ... “knew no class in this matter”, that they were acting in the interests of “the community as a whole”. But every word he said and every plan he outlined was designed to secure the defeat of any general strike that may arise.

To value his words rightly we must remember that the coal owners (whose point of view he accepts) have declared themselves as determined upon wage reductions and lengthening of hours unless the subsidy continues, and that Sir William is the man who has said plainly that “under no circumstances can the subsidy be continued”.

... This was made clear by the manner in which he singled out [miners’ leader] AJ Cook for his special venom, and on the grounds that Cook has declared his slogan to be “Not a penny off the pay; not a second on the day.” This, says ‘Jix’, is “not treating the country fairly”. Could we have a finer comment on the premier’s ‘peace’ talk?

The whole working class should take the alarm. If the leaders will not lead, the rank and file (through the Minority Movement’s Conference of Action) must make them clear the road for those who will.