of the gang of unscrupulous capitalists and imperialists who are exploiting the lives of men, women, and even children of tender age in China at the present time, and insists on their immediate withdrawal."
This resolution was presented by the National Amalgamated Furnishing Trades Association and was unanimously agreed to.
On the subject of British imperialism the resolution was equally emphatic: "This Trades Union Congress believes that the domination of non-British peoples by the British Government is a form of capitalist exploitation having for its object the securing for British capitalists (1) of cheap sources of raw materials; (2) the right to exploit cheap and unorganised labour and to use the competition of that labour to degrade the workers' standards in Great Britain.
"It declares its complete opposition to Imperialism, and resolves: (1) to support the workers in all parts of the British Empire to organise the Trade Unions and political parties in order to further their interests, and (2) to support the right of all peoples in the British Empire to self-determination, including the right to choose complete separation from the Empire."
It was in opposition to this resolution that J. H. Thomas, Secretary for the Colonies under the MacDonald Government, met the full tide of anti-imperialism that was running so fast in the Congress.
The Imperialism Resolution was moved by A. A. Purcell (Furnishing Trades), member of the General Council, and President of the International Federation of Trade Unions, "Imperialism," Purcell said, "is the worst enemy of the working class. The worst feature of imperialist crime at the present moment is the supplying of arms to belligerents on both sides in Morocco and China, just as Stinnes supplied barbed wire to Germans and French alike during the Great War. We do not blame our own capitalist class especially, for capitalism is the same all over the world. In Palestine, where the working class is trying to get the merest semblance of Trade Union rights, arms are used against them. The same has been true of Egypt, but now, at last, they are organizing there. And look at the horrible condition in India. We should aim at getting all of the world's workers into one organization that should have as its basis good wages and working conditions. We ought to assist in formingtrade unions wherever imperialism has planted its foot."
"If anything can make the week's proceedings ridiculous it will be the passing of this resolution," said J. H. Thomas, in his opposition to the proposal. He too was opposed to exploitation,
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