WORKING-CLASS INFLUENCES 323 



majority. No strike has been able to withstand 

 the rising waves of popular resentment. Nor does 

 it appear too optimistic to expect that the clash 

 of divergent interests will be softened by the 

 broadening influence of the spirit of kindliness. 

 If these peacemakers fail, society may be dis- 

 tracted by troubles for which an autocratic 

 dictatorship may be a welcome alternative. 



So far, however, in England, the interests of the 

 group, although they may temporarily obscure 

 those of the party, have been unable to eclipse 

 them. The achievements of political groups 

 generally fall very far short of expectations, and, 

 with a revulsion of feeling, disappointed voters 

 have disregarded the promises held out to them 

 by their class leaders for the more exciting 

 prospects of a party contest. This tendency is 

 clearly to be observed in the fortunes of the 

 British Labour party. Did the voters segregate 

 themselves in groups according to their personal 

 interests every democratic country would be 

 ruled by a Labour ministry. For the working 

 classes by their preponderating numbers hold the 

 issues of the elections in their hands. 



Their influence has, unfortunately, so far 

 prevailed as to infuse an unpatriotic note into 

 British politics. The national flag may not wave 

 over our school houses to symbolize to the young 

 the claims of their country. In extraordinary 

 contrast the citizens of the United States, and the 

 Canadians, lose no opportunity of displaying, and 

 saluting, their national emblem. They are not 

 divided by the ideas of class exclusiveness which 

 have come down to us from mediaeval days, and 

 lead the British working man to believe that 

 patriotism is a form of respect for the aristocracy. 

 But suspicion of the national flag does not imply 

 indifference to national pride ; when this is 



