THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 1937.-
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BIRTH
THE LEFT MUST CHOOSE
By A. J. Cummings
N his latest book Mr.
G. D. H. Cole puts what is on the whole the best ease yet presented in print of a for the formation Popular Front in Britain.
The situation is not im- mediately favourable. For vari- ous reasons it is less favourable than it was last year when the dvocacy of the News Chronicle had created a widespread public interest in this conception of a new British democratic align- ment.
In the first place, public opinion is more complacent: partly because the prolongation of the boom period by the arti- ficial aid of large-geule rearina- FROST-AL the French Hospital, ment has blurred the ultimate August 2001, to Doris facts and taken temporarily u Gertrude, wife of G. B. Frost, little of the blackness out of the the gift of * son (Anthony Derryck).
black areas, and partly because of the political exhaustion which followed the betrayal of demo- cracy in the Abyssinian crisis and which hus weakened resist- ance to the naked challenge of the European dictatorships in Spain.
The
Hongkong Telegraph.
FIUDAY, AUGUST 20, 1937.
SHANGHAI ZONE PLAN
Moreover, the organised par- ties of the Opposition, apprehen-
Published recently was
"The People's Front," by G. D. H. Cole. (Gollancz. 7s. 6d. Left Book Club 2s.
6d. 1
G. D. H, Cole, famous economist, is 17 years old. Educated at St. Paul's and Balliol, he became a Fellow of Magdalen College, Ox- ford, in 1912. Is now Uni- versity Reader in Economics. Has been immensely prolific of economic works and is almost as well known as joint author, with his wife Margaret Cole, of detective storias. Biographies: Wil- liam Cobbett, Robert Owen, Labour Party member of nearly 30 years' standing.
G. D. H. COLE
"The choice, as Mr. Cole plainly perceives, lies between' fatal frustration and united action"
or
The choice, as Mr. Cole, a rigid mense body of unattached Socialist, plainly perceives, lies half-attached voters, some of between fatal frustration and whom voted for the Government in 1935 "because Labour seemed united action.
I happen to know that the one to offer no tolerable alternative," feur in the minds of official ad- but the majority of whom have visers of the National Parties is never voted at all. lest the example of spontaneous They know, too, of the exist- local co-operation on the Left set ence of hundreds of unattached by the progressives of Chertsey progressive groups. should be followed in other more They know that the Govern- expect any con- sive of threat to the influence of if, before it goes out, the pre- suitable constituencies the party machines and fearful sent Government chooses to pass sufficiently large scale to disturb siderable support next time from therefore a Redistribution Bill splitting up the Government's electoral cal- these unattached groups and in- of unfamiliar, and dangerous, ideas, have frowned the traditional seaside Tory con- culations. upon the idea of common action stituencies, and other large Tory and upon each other and remain strongholds in the Home Coun-
on
a ment cannot
dividuals, and that a powerful It is perhaps too much to hope
*
and united Opposition which cap- that the British plan for pre-
Incidentally, the Manchester tured them in force would take serving the laternational Settle- ment in Shanghai from further as doctrinally exclusive as ever. ties and elsewhere, into more Guardian has made an irrele- charge at Westminster.
on the unsuit- Yet recent events have proved numerous hunting grounds for vant comment havoc, by the creation of a
ability of well-to-do Chertsey for
Don't be deceived, then, when beyond all theorising that the political reactionaries. neutral zone, to be made possi-progressive parties cannot by
an electoral experiment on Popu-
Government spokesmen on the platform deride the Popular ble by the withdrawal of Chinese themselves win political success.
They
It so happened that a by-elec- Front. In fact, it is, for them, on the political and Japanese combatants be-
ground. yond this area, will be brought
are
definitely
losing
**
tion.
any
The Liberal Party Organisa- lar Front lines. tion has lately issued a succes- Millions of British citizens who sion of admirable leaflets point- tion occurred in a constituency the only cloud
If this large body of demo- are concerned about a few funda ing out the necessity, if demo- in which a pioneering Popular horizon.
the cratic voters, unallied to Is it suggested that mental issues and are extremely cracy is to prevail, of modernis- Front had already come into ac-
But is there a single Liberal suspicious of the present Gov. ing electoral methods, Arnment's real attitude to these
ly dispersed and ran away or Cole's words) there would be no hope, and the National Govern- issues sev nothing to hope for politician in the country who pioneers should have immediate party, did not exist, then (in Mr. from the confused and divided believes that this Government that anybody but the Tory can-
will change the electoral system? didate would have gained an ad- ment might be "securely in elements of the Opposition.
civilisation altogether." Alternatively, is the Liberal vantage by so peculiar an act of power for long enough to smash
until it political warfare? Party content to wait
The Government's party ad- they do exist and they can be won "for pooled security and a comes again to absolute power?
In that ease it is a pretty safe visera at all events take a longer limited programme of democra prediction that every Liberal view. They are well aware of tie social legislation and econo-
will the importance of resolute
The
THE
They know, as well as Mr. Cole knows, that there is an im-
mic control."
But
That is indeed the raison d'etre of a Popular Front. It offers the only chance for British demo- cracy or for British Labour: The moment Labour Party at the #seems to be more hostile to the than to the formidable power of the ruling Tory class.
Old Newspaper "Comp" handful of British Communists
many
It has lost its strategical of mechanient of bad MS. meant loss of time in its
to be HE resistiess tide
poise. It appears even invention was a long time in deelphering, and probably
assembling errors in composing, all of which the trying to wage an unimpressive proved futile, poor comp. lind to pay for; by the class war on two fronts at once.
I agree with Mr. Cole that of using least slackness the labour of an hour
there are only two sides in war and that European Fascism is an infinitely greater peril to Bri-
munism.
success.
The belief was firmly held by old. compositors that their occupation was
25
#
into operation. None the less, the scheme is one which, in the joint interests of both China and Japan, should be accepted. The Japanese have hitherto contend- ed that their forces are in the
They know now that as long Settlement for the protection of as these elements keep apart it the lives and property of their is imposuible either to construci, nationals. An, opportunity is democratic programme or "to
organise a democratic victory. now provided to test the sincer-
In a penetrating analysis of politician in the country ity of this contention, because the electoral position Mr. Cole have gone to a better (or at least start. it is an essential part of the comes to the unanswerable con- another) world before the elec-
clusion not only that no Labour toral system is democratised. British plan that, once the victory is in sight but that a Parliamentary Japanese and Chinese forces are clear. Labour withdrawn, the task of safe-majority in any conceivable cir-
cumstances is impossible.
It is almost technically impos-Į guarding foreign interests will be assumed by the Settlement sible even on the likely assump- tion that, in nwar-threatened; Powers, principally Britain, the world, the Government will soon |United States and France. Were be faced with a steep and un- it not for the admission already manageable slump in trade, with reaching a solution of
rising domestic prices and taxn- type. Many efforts made by the Chinese that they tion, a sudden growth of unem until Merganthaler's Idea are unable to guarantee the in-ployment, reduced wages, and all punched matrices proved the way to could in a second be ruined.
The old newspaper compositor, who violacy of the Settlement, China the social and industrial troubles might resent the taking over of that must inevitably ensue..
It is impossible because the secure from mechanical invasion, in many cases in the daytime wore main well-schooled and the posses- the linotype line-caster but
by wide reading. Unfortunately, in
was his In bis anxiety to make his praved undoubted successes. the Japanese are using the power.
many cases intemperance The old-time "comp" has almost beseiting sin, Settlement as a base for military
in the world. Surely this is a operations, and she argues that heavily loaded against Labour faded out, und us regurds newsuper uniting in a vice welds is almost point Mr. Cole describes Russin work may be said to be all but ex-safe in anying that to this cause 90s the most democratic country tinet. This is not to be regretted, for per cent. af dismissals were due, she is therefore compelled to
his work is now done under better! It Is now between 40 and 50 years far-fetched description.
Russia is the most bureaucra- take appropriate action to ousted for keeping the Settlement conditions generally, with less effort, since the linotype type-setting and the intruders from their post-free from the ravages of war, and in a much shorter time. His life, mechanical distributing machine was the country in the world; and in
Was constant harassment. After Introduced, Its initial work was not Lions. The happenings of the in course of time the whole place working from eight to ten hours at characterised by accuracy or good Russin all the perils of an oppres- past week have shown that, with may be reduced to a shambles, night and reaching home about 4 print, which was i source of gral-sive bureaucracy are now becom-
a.m. to rest, his first duty (and an im- neation and merriment conditions as they are at pre-in which everybody, including perative one), after breakfasting, comp. Gradually, however, its meing tragically apparent.
On the other hand it is a piece return to the office and re-chanism was improved, and it was sent, disaster may occur at any Chinese and Japanese, would be was to the case of type used up with a glum face that our old friend of political stupidity to turn Bri- moment through the accidental the losers. True, before that the previous night. Wae betide him saw it installed in the space formerly tish Communism into a bugbear. Something much more serious. dropping of bombs, to say noth-stage was reached the Powers if he neglected to do so! One cannot occupied by his
the within
two of his brethren. His life's occupation progressive partics is involved in tary operations
vene. The far better way, how-operation usually Settlement area. In these in-ever, from humanitarian and hours daily. What time was left ere gone, he and his confreres were fain the decisions of the next few
was to seek employment in other chan- he returned home to dinner
that time mechanical years. It may be peace or it cidents, not only foreign but also other standpoints, is the crea-spent in any odd way. For a brlet nels. Since Chinese life and property are en-tion of a neutral zone. Britain period after dinner he saw his family; type-setting has become almost the may be war. If the progressive dangered. This consideration has given a worthy lead in this then, carrying his supper with him, sole means of newspaper production parties want peace they must
he again departed for another night's In addition to producing priming erusade for it-together.
matter, it now supplies everything
Mr. Cole longs for a John the should surely carry weight with mutter, and there should be no work.
required in a composing-room plant, the Chinese in' their attitude to reason why other Powers should Thus he was never long absent such as rules, leads, clame orna Baptist to bring the crusade into wards the British proposal not come into the scheme. It from the office either by day or ments, &c. Its latest improvement, being, But Mr. Bovin would
night. Nor was his occupation re- the reproduction the telegraph
rank-and-file Are the best. Similarly, Japanese interests now Iles with China and Japan posetulit bristled with irritations.) tape (called the teletype), much in only have him expelled. The stan to suffer further by con- to make a real contribution to For example, let him prepare ever the same way as a piano-player, bids tinuation of the strife within the the cause of peace by definitely carefully, a single piece of copy fair to reduce still further the need crusaders and in the end they containing many of the zame of the human element, in the pro-alone can compel. the. surrender of characters unda. slight Settlement. The fact is that circumscribing the
error duction of news print. could undo his work; a portion
of the party machine.. R. IL. T. unless some means can be devis- "hostilities.'
control by foreign forces. Her electoral system is dead against But they were mistakeo, for not only a tall hut and frock cont, was in thetish Labour than British Com- chief complaint, however, is that the Labour Party's struggle for mano-type single-letter machine have or of a store of knowledge acquired
The dice will be still more
the
in
ปร
successors. 1 am
to the old
Then case frame.
ing of the effects of actual mili-might feel compelled to inter- make bricks without straw nor set it began to do its work, and in a
up, type from empty boxes. This short Uma eliminated him and many than the hygienic purity of the
arca
*
consumed
1