LETTERS

A UNITED PROTEST Ir would be useless to complain about the phrases in Peter Kerrigan’s article intended to create animosity towards United (phrases like ‘they believe in freedom to scab it? and the accusation that we ‘do not denounce TGWU officialdom with the aim of building a militant instrument of struggle’) because what we mean by ‘militant trade unionist’ and what you mean are entirely different things.

He is entirely right when he says that ‘what these Liberals call the tyranny in the trade unions includes not only some of the worst acts of the TGWU bureaucrats but also the “tyranny” of shop stewards and the traditional methods by which workers protect themselves’ such as ostracism.

When he goes on to say that ‘United .... wants to create the illusion that there is a chance for every worker to rise to the top in the present system,’ however, he is talking through ‘the back of his neck. There is, surely, nobody who believes that (and, although we work under disadvantages like your own, we try to say what we believe). On the contrary, we believe that it is only under co-ownership (or something very like it) that the ordinary worker will ever have any chance to get to the top in his own firm or industry without having either to play down his religious beliefs (if he has any) or pretend to beliefs he does not have, as under communism and _ laissez-faire capitalism.

Crediting us with calling Deakin, Geddes and Yates as being ‘among the best trade unionists of all ages’ comes under the heading of ‘all’s fair in love and war’, presumably. We did no more than say they were among the best trade unionists of their own age. Which, after all, is a matter of opinion in a non-communist society.

The fundamental difference between Liberals and Socialists is that Liberals are content to leave it to portworkers, and others, to decide for themselves who can be relied on, in the long run, to fight against tyranny.

Croydon, Surrey Editor, United A reply by Peter Kerrigan .

Mr Rowe should read his own paper a little more carefully. In the June 1959 United, on page 2, plain for everybody to see are the words: ‘Like the best trade unionists of all ages (Arthur Deakin, Lord Geddes, Sir Tom Yates)... .’ (my emphasis—P.K.)

However, whether ‘United’ thinks Arthur Deakin and the . others are the best of ‘all ages’ or of ‘their own ages’, my point is made.

It’s a matter of opinion, says Mr Rowe. But it’s by their The really don’t believe that the workers can rise right to the top. Grimond does tell us:

“We do not suffer from the delusion that the workers can, themselves, direct the business.’

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