Chapter XIII: Section 8: of Lenin’s Third International Constitution, which stipulates

for the “disarmament of the bourgeoisie and the arming of the workers to defend Communism until Capitalism shall finally have been abolished.” There was in truth at no time any argument from Poland to support direct action. The reason for its adoption was far more accurately stated by Mr. Robert Williams, the Secretary of the National Transport Workers’ Federation, a leading member of the notorious Council of Action. In the _Daily Herald_ for August 25, 1920, he is reported to have said as follows:

“We felt that with the policy of Mr. Lloyd George, which sways
to and fro according to events, we were menaced with war from
the moment that the Poles were in peril. Together with several
friends we drew up a manifesto which even the Conservatives
among the Labour leaders signed, because they recognized
clearly that they could no longer oppose the advanced elements
_which had for so long insisted on the employment of direct
action_.”

This recalls Lord Bacon’s aphorism on faction: “It is often seen that a few that are stiff do tire out a greater number that are more moderate.” The extremists had been struggling for ten years to establish the adoption of direct action under all circumstances as Labour’s normal weapon of attack. They succeeded because the chief anxiety of Labour leaders, whether advancing at the head or running at the heels of their flock, is always, at any price, to secure or conserve solidarity.

Setting-up of Local Soviets

Over 350 Local Councils of Action, in many districts called Soviets, were organized to carry out the instructions of the central Council of Action. Somewhat amusing was it to see how quickly the Council of Action, when it realized that public opinion was setting strongly against it, at once disclaimed any intention of calling a general strike in support of Soviet Russia. All it intended at the utmost “was to veto the manufacture or transport of munitions or equipment for the Poles,” The Council quickly appreciated that the nation would not tolerate the application in this country of revolutionary methods. One of the reasons advanced for the formation of the Council of Action was to “prevent interference by the British Government in the affairs of Soviet Russia,” No sooner, however, was it formed, than two delegates[6] of the Council went to Paris, there to interfere between the French Government and French Labour. A little logic was infused into them by the French Government, who promptly ordered them out of France.