large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_08_belloc_64kb_34
large/7264/free_press_1206_librivox_64kb_mp3/freepress_08_belloc_64kb
English
7264
Let no one say that the disgusting falsehoods spread by the Press in this respect were of no effect The men themselves gave in, and their perfectly just demands were defeated, mainly because middle class opinion _and a great deal of proletarian opinion as well_ had been led to believe that the builders' cessation of labour was a _strike_ due to their own initiative against existing conditions, and thought the operation of such an initiative immoral in time of war. LET NO ONE SAY THAT THE DISGUSTING FALSEHOODS SPREAD BY THE PRESS IN THIS RESPECT WERE OF NO EFFECT THE MEN THEMSELVES GAVE IN AND THEIR PERFECTLY JUST DEMANDS WERE DEFEATED MAINLY BECAUSE MIDDLE CLASS OPINION AND A GREAT DEAL OF PROLETARIAN OPINION AS WELL HAD BEEN LED TO BELIEVE THAT THE BUILDER'S CESSATION OF LABOR WAS A STRIKE DUE TO THEIR OWN INITIATIVE AGAINST EXISTING CONDITIONS AND THOUGHT THE OPERATION OF SUCH AN INITIATIVE IMMORAL IN TIME OF WAR
politicians are and they lose power. Once let them lose power and their hidden masters lose power. Take a larger instance: the middle and upper classes are never allowed by any chance to hear in time the dispute which leads to a strike or a lock-out. Here is an example of news which is of the utmost possible importance to the commonwealth, and to each of us individually. To understand _why_ a vast domestic dispute has arisen is the very first necessity for a sound civic judgment. But we never get it. The event always comes upon us with violence and is always completely misunderstood--because the Press has boycotted the men's claims. I talked to dozens of people in my own station of life--that is, of the professional middle classes--about the great building lock-out which coincided with the outbreak of the War. _I did not find a single one who knew that it was a lock-out at all!_ The few who did at least know the difference between a strike and a lock-out, _all_ thought it was a strike!  WHAT SORT OF MEDIOCRATES THE POLITICIANS ARE AND THEY LOSE POWER ONCE LET THEM LOSE POWER AND THEIR HIDDEN MASTERS LOSE POWER TAKE A LARGER INSTANCE THE MIDDLE AND UPPER CLASSES ARE NEVER ALLOWED BY ANY CHANCE TO HEAR IN TIME THE DISPUTE WHICH LEADS TO A STRIKE OR A LOCKOUT HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF NEWS WHICH IS OF THE UTMOST POSSIBLE IMPORTANCE TO THE COMMONWEALTH AND TO EACH OF US INDIVIDUALLY TO UNDERSTAND WHY A VAST DOMESTIC DISPUTE HAS ARISEN IS THE VERY FIRST NECESSITY FOR A SOUND CIVIC JUDGMENT BUT WE NEVER GET IT THE EVENT ALWAYS COMES UPON US WITH VIOLENCE AND IS ALWAYS COMPLETELY MISUNDERSTOOD BECAUSE THE PRESS HAS BOYCOTTED THE MEN'S CLAIMS I TALKED TO DOZENS OF PEOPLE IN MY OWN STATION OF LIFE THAT IS OF THE PROFESSIONAL MIDDLE CLASSES ABOUT THE GREAT BUILDING LOCO WHICH COINCIDED WITH THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR I DID NOT FIND A SINGLE ONE WHO KNEW THAT IT WAS A LACKOUT AT ALL THE FEW WHO DID AT LEAST KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STRIKE AND A LACKOUT ALL THOUGHT IT WAS A STRIKE
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