A David comes to Judgment. (1921)

From the June 1921 issue of the Socialist Standard

Once again a frank admission of the correctness of the policy pursued by the Socialist Party of Great Britain since its inception; that is to educate and organise the majority of the working class into a class conscious political party for the purpose of wresting political power from the ruling class as the first essential step toward their emancipation.

Speaking as the guest at the luncheon of the New Members Coalition Group, Mr. Lloyd George told them that the need for the Coalition was as great as ever because of the rise of a new party which he declared was not Labour but Socialist. He quoted figures to show how the Labour Party’s vote has gone up by leaps and bounds in the course of a few years. He told them that a change of four per cent, in the voting would put the Socialists in a majority. Now the point that should be keenly observed is that if the Labour Party, who are not the friends of the working class, but their enemies, can capture political power through the means of the ballot box, for the furtherance of exploitation and robbery of the working class in the capitalist State, surely it demonstrates to any sane, thinking man or woman that when they deem it necessary to use their vote in their own interest instead of in the interest of a class that keeps them in poverty, misery, and degradation they can do so.

One amusing point of the Premier’s speech is where he states that the new party want to uproot, tear up, and plant the wild and poisonous berries of Karl Marxism. Now this assertion shows clearly and concisely his short-lived memory; for did he not tell us some time ago through the Capitalist Press that these Labour men made decent carpenters in the Liberal workshop—in other words that they were capable of doing the dirty work of the capitalist class.

Now after these poisonous berries have been strewn across the path of the working class by the anti-Marxian party, he is not afraid of the people of this country being won over to the subversive doctrines of Karl Marx. “They don’t suit the British mind,” he tells us. They are more German in their characteristics and the British psychology will never take them. One thing stands out fairly clear, and that is that the little Welsh wizard and the class whom he serves have more to fear from the working class getting a knowledge of the principles of Socialism laid down by Marx and Engels than they have from this so-called formidable party.

Henry Arthurton