all
trades in a demand for Parliamentary legislation which will provide
these benefits out of national funds, mainly by way of a graduated
income-tax. So he demands old-age pensions and an Unemployed Act. He
has given up the tedious task of bargaining with his master for higher
wages and shorter hours; he intends to compel him by the more drastic
method of an eight-hour day and a minimum wage and State Arbitration
Act."[408] There is much truth in this description. As the real nature
of the relations between the trades unions and the Socialists is known
to only a few, the following documents should be of great interest:--

"In consequence of a decision of the International Socialist Bureau
(June 9, 1907), its secretary sent a circular to the affiliated
parties in order to obtain from them official notes on the relations
between the political Parties and trade unions of their country, and
he received the following replies from the Social-Democratic
Federation, the Labour party, and the Independent Labour Party:--

"'Although from its formation in March 1881 the Social-Democratic
Federation has strongly opposed the abstention of the older trade
unions from politics, and has still more strongly objected to the very
close alliance which some of its leading members have made with the
capitalist Liberal party, resulting in high office and even Cabinet
rank'" [another hit at Mr. John Burns] "'for those who have thus
deliberately betrayed the interests of their fellows and supporters of
the working class; nevertheless, we have never at any time failed to
help in every way possible, personally and pecuniarily, every strike
which has taken place since 1881 (even in spite of our doubting the
value of the mere strike as a weapon against organised capitalism),
and our organisation has invariably agitated in favour of every
Parliamentary measure accepted by the trade unions which could at all
help the trade unionists and the workers at large. Our relations with
the trade unions may therefore be described as friendly whenever they
take action against capitalism, and appreciative of their increasing
tendency towards Socialism. We always recommend all workers to join
the trade union of their trade. No Socialist propaganda is officially
carried on by the trade unions, but as quite 75 per cent. of the
members of the Social-Democratic Federation are also trade unionists
in their respective trades, by their agency Socialist thought is
ste