By Antitun Gneenwoon, air.
This most hated word in the Eng-now constantly on our lips-change has taken place in our lives. Families have been separated, large numbers of people have loft civil work for service with the Sighting forces. Others have been switched over to new work, or have undertaken onerous tasks in addition to their daily work. All this shows that we fare at war. It gives some idea of what we must be prepared to meet in the coming days. It Is true that German bombs have not yet fallen on Eritish soil. But the sinews of Britain are taut for attack or defence, and will not slacken, however great the strain she has to bear.
It is idle to pretend that the lives of men in the fighting services are not in great peril. It is equally idle to suppose that our civilian population—men, women and children—may not have to face indescribable terrors. Why are we suffering this? Why have we been driven to take a stand which has brought tus into war?
The answer is a simple one. The Labour Movement—industtial. and. politieal—believes. in freedom. We have had our struggles. about fundamental things. Sometimes. we have won: sometimes we have not. What Labour has won it will keep. What is has not yet won It will strive to win in the future. Labour wants nothing which it is not prepared to defend. It docs not ask for Fhvours. It tokes its setbacks with fortitude.
But it never surrenders its goal. The struggle which we are now waging raises, for final settlement, this very principle. We cannot fight our own battles at home so that right shall prevail, unless the workers abroad can do the same' thing. To put it another way every weapon taken away from the workers abroad imperils the happiness of the workers in this country. Unfortunately, in-Germany and later in Austria, and Czechoslovakia elementary human' rights have been destroyed. "Today our own have been chal~ longed. That is why British Labour has taken a stand, from which it will never retreat, against oppression and tyranny. The Labour Movement is peaceful. It hates war. Tt knows. that the masses everywhere suiter when war deluges the world. But it knows: also that the most precious human possession
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.