A Laborlte's Life

FROM WORKSHOP TO WAR CABINET--George N. Barnes--With an Introduction by David Lloyd George--Appleton ($2.50.)

The man of humble birth who has risen to fame has been the hero of countless volumes all down the ages. But fewer of these men have lived, and fewer still have risen, like George Barnes, by their own intelligence and for their own class.

The Chief Good of Mr. Barnes' pursuit was that of the laboring classes and all that he did was done in what he conceived to be their interest. He advocated constitutional socialism or what may now be termed Laborism, which means improving the status of the laboring classes in human society by constitutional means. This doctrine is that of the Labor Party today in Britain. The credit for it does not belong entirely to Mr. Barnes, but there can be no doubt that he has played an important part in forming this moderate policy which differs from the Marxian doctrine as much as ice-cream does from sulphuric acid.

Mr. Barnes' life story is full of human interest. It is the story of a man who has had to fight against enormous odds. Working at Barrow he says: ". . . we worked over 32 hours per week beyond the normal week of 54 hours." He left Barrow, went to London. After a long period of alternating unemployment and work he became General Secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers and identified with political Labor currents. As a Cabinet Minister Mr. Barnes did much work of permanent value. The part which he once played so ably for old age pensions he replayed for wounded soldiers' pensions. As British Minister Plenipotentiary to the Paris Peace Conference he played a leading part in getting Labor conventions passed.