Page:Scott Nearing - British Labor Bids for Power (1926).pdf/8

 warning from this, This movement of ours has learned many lessons during these years of reaction engineered by the employers, and one of the lessons is that a militant and progressive policy, consistently and steadily pursued, is the only policy that will unify, consolidate, and inspire our rank and file. When economic conditions forced the unions to assume a defensive attitude, the employers did not hesitate to take advantage of their stronger position, and they are still plotting and planning to undermine Trade Union standards. But there is a limit to the concessions the unions can be forced to make. That limit has been reached. Union policy henceforth will be to recover lost ground, to re-establish and improve our standards of wages, hours, and working conditions, and to co-ordinate and intensify Trade Union action for the winning of a larger measure of control in industry for the workers. And this policy renders necessary a greater degree of Trade Union unity. 



"The demonstration of Trade Union solidarity connected with the miners' struggle, a month ago, has given hope to the whole movement. The result will strengthen every section of working class organisation and help the unions to become 100 per cent. organised. That must be our aim.

"Those of us who were privileged to share in the victory and who helped to rally the forces of Trade Unionism behind the miners, lived a glorious week—one that will ever be remembered. It was historical.

"As we marshalled our forces, day by day, to meet the pending attack of the representatives of capitalism, the response of all sections to defend the standard of wages and hours was most gratifying.

"It must be our work to harness that spirit to our organising work, and weave it into the fabric and structure of the Trade Union Movement of the future. The capitalist class will learn lessons from this skirmish, and will use their great influences in present day society to compel a retreat.

"Congress must give to the General Council full powers to create the necessary machinery to combat every movement by our opponents. It was to that end that the General Council asked for greater powers to deal with industrial developments at Southport Congress in 1922, and though our claim was rejected, Congress gave more powers, though