Tt ix common knowledge that none of these periodicals could possibly pay their way. They carry advertising matter. The obvious inference is that they are subsidiz~ fed from some propagandist centre outside England. All of them have j_full blooded flavour that the oficial Labour publications lack. An. ignorant and scandal-loving democracy that would pay its millions of pennies for a weekly budget of innuendo and back-biting like the old "John Bull" would be quite happy with an average Communist periodical. The atmosphere is the same if the victims are different.
But the greatest of- all Communist assets are the Left-wing leaders of the Labour party. These popular figures do not officially be-Tong to the subversive party for which they act as recruiting agents. Te might be said of them that their legs are firmly planted in England while their heads are inextricably entangled in Russia. But they are easily the most popular figures in the whole working class movement. The reception of MacDonald or, Snowden at a great Labour demonstration is an icy affair compared to, the acclamations accorded to Lans-bar? Wheatley, or Smillic, when they walk on tothe platform. The ight wing leaders might be respected, but the Left wing leaders are loved and trusted.
The reason why they are trusted is somewhat extraordinary.
Jbeeause they are on the side of the The rank and file of the British Labour movement is using this question of the support of the Russians as the acid test of the sincerity of Labour leaders in the present crisis, The explanation of such a strange attitude, is, after all, comparatively simple, The Danger of Exagxeration Whatever their attitude may be fon proposals fur social reform at home there is one thing on which the whole anti-Labour press. is at in their opposition, to the Soviet Republic. The more Labour the newspaper, the more uncompromising is its hostile ity on this point. And this has been for years. It would unfair to describe the in the fact that the great body. of organized workers, who know that interests are in exact opposition to those of Beaverbrook and Rothermere, should look with trust on those Labour leaders who. share with the anti-Labour press these views; who are often held up columns ax commendable ex-Jamples of right thinking men; and who not, infrequently receive. sub stantial fees for a few columns of the required abuse.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.