WHAT OF THE HARVEST? 283 



came into touch with the Workers' Educational Associa- 

 tion, being one of the first members to join the Luton 

 tutorial class. He attended these classes for four years, 

 walking six miles after his factory work ended. 



In 1911 he moved to Luton, and there when Alderman 

 Morley opened a branch of the Workers' Union he joined 

 it, and in 1914 became branch secretary. In 1915 he was 

 appointed organiser in Bedfordshire and the surrounding 

 counties. Since he took this work in hand the membership 

 increased from 1,000 to 15,000 in the space of four years. 

 Like most organisers who belong to the " advanced " 

 movement he is a tactful negotiator, displaying this gift with 

 success when he handled the Chatteris strike, with which 

 I will deal later. 



Writing to me of the social conditions at Ridgmount, 

 which is in the centre of the Duke of Bedford's estate, he 

 says :- 



" It was in the autumn of 1917 when I tried to fix up a meeting 

 but could not get a room for some time. Then a friendly publi- 

 can offered the use of a room and we opened a small branch 

 with the publican as secretary. Since that time quite a trans- 

 formation has taken place. Our membership has grown to about 

 250 and the old influence has gone, as is proved by the fact 

 that at the last Parish Council all its successful candidates were 

 members of our Union ! " 



There are other organisers as able and successful as these 

 I have mentioned, but their replies have not reached me in 

 time for publication. Yet there is one other letter from which 

 I should like to quote, and this comes not from an organiser, 

 but from a branch secretary still working as a farm labourer. 



This poignant human document, consisting of thirty-one 

 pages of closely written clear handwriting, was sent to me by 

 the writer last autumn. It was the record of the life of a 

 farm labourer in Sussex, and is written by the man himself. 

 Considering how loth men who handle the plough are to put 

 pen to paper, one can imagine the nights this man has 

 spent of his scanty leisure laboriously penning the salient 

 facts of his life. Unfortunately I have space only to 

 include extracts. 



