The Daily Worker Newspaper, September 19, 1925, Page 8

British Imperialism and the Soviet Union By £. H. BROWN. HE 1914-1918 European war, and political consequences thereof, left three great contending forces for world supremacy. First, there was Great Britain, a tremendous factor yet, despite a gradual weakening since pre- war days. Secondly, the U. S, A., the greatest imperialist rival of Britain and which, after the war, is perhaps thie most powerful of all imperialist powers, And last. but not least, and deeply feared by both America and Britain, is the U- S. S. R. There are two great struggles tak- ing place before our eyes—the fight for world supremacy between Great Britain and Americaandthe fight for world supremacy between these coun- tries and the Soviet Union. It is of the struggle between Britain and the Soviet Union I wish to treat in this article. REAT BRITAIN is the center of a world empire—a center of vast colonial exploitation. British imper- dalism is the forerunner of all other simperialisms. Whilst half the present capitalist world was still sleeping in its. feudal bed, British capitalism was rapidly at work annexing for its own sole use vast areas containing almost unlimited sources. of raw materials and cheap labor power, At the out- break of the world war in 1914, she had largely developed these areas, and a most formidable world imperialist force was the result. The Soviet Union is also a world center. Not for colonial exploitation and oppression, but for those forces which fight against world imperialism. It is also a growing factor in the world economic battle. In both these activities economic and political it is brot into conflict with British imper- jalism, We have not far to seek to find expression of this conflict and which, on examination reveals that it is a Hfe and death struggle. ‘ gf igo ‘first’ of ‘all ‘the period immedi- i *pately after the Russian revolution —the intervention period. During the days when the revolution was men- aced by successive military counter- revolutionary attacks, we find that the British government made direct at- tacks and supported Kolchak, Denkin and Wrangel to the extent of 100 mil- lion pounds of ready money. In addi- tion all the surplus stores from the European battle-froné was handed over to these brigands.. That was deemed to be a fair price to keep the keys of the Kyber Pass out of the hands of a Communist government. Quite early the British bourgeoisie an- ticipated what would be the result if the peasant masses near the northern frontier of India, saw the contrast be- tween Soviet policy to the peasants and the policy of British imperialism. “-“Then Jater we see the conflict ex- pressing itself in the refusal of the British bourgeoisie to agree to the opening of normal trade relations with Russia, Baldwin, Chamberlain Take a Hand. VER since the Baldwin administra- tion in Britain assumed excutive power the keynote of its foreign pol- icy has been to create a bloc of west- ern and central European states against the U, 8. S. R, ‘The reason for this is not far to seek, British imperialism, weakened by the tremendous material loss dur- ing the European war; faced with more serious competition and loss of markets in all parts of the world; bur- ,,d@ened by an over capitalized and worn-out industrial system at home; is reeling under an economic crisis never before equalled in its intensity and fraught with such grave dangers of a complete break-up of the whole system, ’ : In order to wage successiul eco nomic warfare against its formidable world competitors, and to save its priv- ileges and profits at the same time, the British capitalist class must sub- ject the masses of workers and peas- ants; both at home and in the colonies, to an ever greater measure of exploita- tion, These workers and Te- ply with increasing organization and vigor in fighting against this exploi- tation. The fight takes many forms: strikes, boycotts, national independ- ence campaigns, and even open armed struggle. In these fights the toiling masses of the British empire find common ground with the workers and peas- ants of Soviet Russia. The British bourgeoisie know this quité well and clearly realize that the ever advanc- ing economic and political prestige of the U. S. S, R. is a direct menace to its own future. HEREFORE, the récent campaign against the U. S. S. R. was launched. The initial steps were tak- en at the, moment when MacDonald— under pressure from the masses—was negotiating a trade treaty with the Soviet Union. His weak minority government, which had been used to ratify the Dawes plan was swept from office and prevented from obtaining a majority at the polls by the issue of the infamous forged letter purporting to come from Zinovfey. With this the British yellow press received its cue. It followed the above-mentioned forged lettér stunt with fearful sland- efs against Russia at ‘the time of the Esthonian rising. Then came a great- er volume of lies and forgeries follow- ing the lamentable Sofia explosion. Until right up to the present moment. this press attack has continued. For sheer unmitigated lying it has far sur- passed, even the anti-German press campaign of 1914-1918—a campaign dictated then by the exigencies of the war period. The right wing labor and trade union press has ably assisted its bourgeois colleagues, But underneath this open press hos-| tility there has been governmental ac- tion. Refusal to appoint an ambassa- dor to Moscow, curtailment of visas to trade representatives, refusal to ex- tend the trade facilities act to Russia, the financial blockade; ali these were preparatory steps to the complete break of diplomatic relations at the opportune moment. The Campaign Widespread and Serious. ND so the offensive continued with ever more ominous actions, In- The war in Morocco has.entered on its ciritical stage. The French gov- ernment of the left bloc is exerting all its forces in order to avoid a mili- tary collapse and to bring to an end the “colonial expedition” against the Riff people; an “expedition” which, in an unexpected manner, has become converted into a “great war,” as the president of the French Republic, Painleve, was compelled to admit af- ter his return from his visit to the Moroccan front. In the course of the month of July the French government resorted to a series of exceptional measures for the purpose of further carrying on the war. On the 10th of July the French chamber of deputies, after passionate debates, granted by 411 votes against 29 with 150 abstentions, 183 million francs for war operations, On July the 12th, after long negotiations in Madrid, an understanding was arrived at with regard to Franco-Spanish co- operation in Morocco and as to joint action against the Riff people. At the same time, there is taking place a change of command in the French army in Morocco, according to which Marshall Liauton, the former com- mander-in-chief, only retains the gen- eral politcial leadership, while Nolin, the representative of the French war office, is entrusted with the military leadership. In addition to this, Mar- shall Petain, this hero of the French national bloc, who distinguished him- self during the imperialist war by his defense of Verdun, has been sent to Morocco in the capacity of an extraor- dinary commission for war, “in order to organize victory.” During the last few days great reinforcements, the strength of which is being kept by the French military staff, dispatched to M simultaneous action trigues for an anti-Soviet bloc—pour-,S. S, R. It suited the policy of the ing of munitions into Esthonia—Brit- ish fleet in the Baltic, etc., all show the serious end which the British cab- inet had in mind, Then it next became necesary to test the effect of all these efforts upon the other western European capitalist states and also to ascertain what would be the effect of a break of dip- lomatic relations with Russia, upon the “leaders” of the British workers and upon the British working class generally, China afforded a pretext. Once again it was discovered that “Bolshe- vik plots” were at the root of the trouble in China. Britain was repre- sented as a civilizing force with great interests in China all of which was threatened by the influence of Zino- viev. A Soviet trade representative in China was arrested to give “local color” to the story, Chicherin (the Soviet minister for foreign affairs) then_wrote drawing attention to the seriousness of the step contemplated by the British government and the Baldwin tabinet met to consider the next and final move. N the British conservative govern- ment—the executive officers of Brit- ish imperialist policy—one can dis- tinctly detect two tendencies, The first is the arrogant sword rattling tendency of the Curzon school which is led by Birkenhead. The second is the more subtle and realistic school which is under the domination of Bald- win and Chamberlain. ; Baldwin and Chamberlain would like to declare war on Russia but they are restrained by a knowledge of the internal situation at home. Not being strong enuf themselves to wage this warfare they pursue a policy of trying to persuade other countries to undertake the task. This is in line with traditional British for- eign policy. The Birkenhead group of die-hards —the future fascist leaders—saw their opportuntiy. They ted hard to drive the British government to a com- plete diplomatic rupture with the U. Morocco, the Key to the Mediterranean this action, rumors have been put in circulation according to which France and Spain have made peace offers which, it is alleged, have been rejeci- ed by Abd-el-Krim. The patriotism of the French soldiers is being stirred up by their being told that the Riff people are relying upon German and Bolshevik support. The French forces are going over to the offensive and reckon upon ending operations before the autumn rains set in, which will render all military action impossible. In spite of the reasoning tone of the government communications, the French newspapers admit those great difficulties which the French military forces will have to overcome in view of the fierce resistance of the Riff troops and the revolts of the Kabyl tribes in the rear of the French, The attitude of those powers which, while at present remaining neutral, are in- terested in the war, is causing even greater uneasiness in the French press, England, which is also sup- ported by Italy, is raising the ques- tion of the necessity of a new inter- national conference to solve the fate of Morrocco, basing its attitude on the fact that the Moroccan question has acquired international importance in the post-war period. The successful struggle of the Rift t Baldwin-Chamberlain group’ to give them plenty of rope. Indeed, they went so far as to declare at one time that Birkenhead was voicing the pol icy of the British government, If that is so, why was the policy of Birkenhead not carried to its log- ical conclusion? Especially -when MacDonald, Thomas, Clynes and Co., had shown they would support this policy. First, because the Soviet gov- ernment showed no weakness. It quite clearly knew its own strength and the strength (or weakness) of its opponents, and second, because the British workers once again made it quite clear that they would resolutely resist any intervention against. the Soviets. Again, the rest of the Eu- ropean states showed openly that they were not-prepared to accept sui- cide to further the interests of Brit- ish imperialism, This explains the “climb down” of Chamberlain. The British imperialists once again—as in Chinese affairs re- cently—récognized its ‘impotency and. weakness, a | DS yh sufficient has been written to convince readers thgt whilst the attempt has failed this time no effort will be spared to create the necessary opportunity for striking a blow at Russia. It seems certain that the British imperialists are out for open war if at all possible, , Up to now the British workers have consistently demonstrated their friendliness to the Soviet Union. But in the future the “demonstrative friendliness” of the past will not be enough. We shall have to show to the Brit- ish imperialists that we learned the lesson of the Russian revolution, In 1917 the workers and peasants changed an imperialist war into a victorious social upheaval. Our watch- word from now on must be: “When British imperialism. declares war on the Soviet Union it. signs its own. death warrant and the British and. colonial workers must play thé’ part of the hangmen.” in the “Spanish zone” in Morocco, the original Anglo-French agreement over Morrocco comes into force. This agreement is interpreted’ by the French in the sense that if Spain loses control over the zone allotted to it, or should the Spanish troops evacu- ate this zone, the control of this zone passes automatically to France, which can then unite the whole of Morocco under its rule. The French plans diametrically op- pose the interests of England, as the ‘northern coast of Morocco owing to its geographical position is of great importance in the world scheme of the defense of the British empire. England's position as a great power in the Mediterranean, apart from the naval bases at Malta and Cyprus, is. based in the first place upon the con- trol of the Suez Canal and the ts: of Gibraltar. The latest “howitzers” are easily able to bombard Gibraltar from the Spanish coast, and the ques- tion of its defense is beginning to en- counter great difficulties. The com- mission consisting of English war specialists recently sent to Gibralter has reported that the prospects of or- ganizing the air defenses of Gibral- tar are likewise exceedingly poor, as there exist no suitable landing places, The British admiralty has.therefore of late ohserved with uneasiness that fhe English strategical positions in the most vital parts of the Mediterr- anean have been Therefore England cannot reconcile itself to the idea that the French