7

Bold and challenging generalisations went rather well at the editorial lunch of the leading Liberal paper. These Liberals felt that so little could ever be done that they were prepared for any suggestions, however extravagant, for doing things. They were as receptive of new ideas as baby–farmers are of babies. They knew they could put away any amount of new ideas and be none the worse for it, politically or socially. But the Labour key–men, in conference upon their newspapers, Rud found rather more difficult to impress.

They were evidently profoundly suspicious of him.

It was his first definite encounter with the wary–eyed, platitudinous, evasive Labour leaders, and he realised at once the formidable barrier of inert leadership they constituted, between the discontented masses and constructive change. They seemed to be almost entirely preoccupied by internecine intrigues and the "discipline of the Party". They were steeped in Party professionalism. They were not in any way traitors to their cause, or wilfully reactionary, but they had no minds for a renascent world. They meant nothing, but they did not know they meant nothing. They regarded Rud just as in their time they had regarded Liberalism, Fabianism, Communism, Science, suspecting them all, learning nothing from them, blankly resistant. They did not want ideas in politics. They just wanted to be the official representatives of organised labour and make what they could by it. Their manner betrayed their invincible resolution, as strong as an animal instinct, to play politics according to the rules, to manoeuvre for positions, to dig themselves into positions—and squat…

"I'll get a move on them," said Rud.

"They've got the Trade Unions behind them."

"I've no use for Trade Unions. They've lasted long enough. They've locked up the workmen in a sort of small–tradesman respectability. We want more than that nowadays. They've hampered the natural political and social emergence of the common man."

"Trade Unions to go!" said Bodisham. "Christianity to go! You're making us take on a lot, Rud. You're a bit of a Terror, Rud."

"You know I'm right. They've gone in Russia, Germany, Italy. They totter in America and France. This country has got to move with the times. We've got to take a lesson from the passion of China, we English and Americans, and wake up before it is too late. I won't be premature about this. Trust me to know when to open fire and how."

"The queer thing is that we do trust you," said Bodisham. "In spite of your—extremism."

"You'd better," said Rud with grim conviction. "I'm right. What is extremism? The whole truth and nothing but the truth. I ask you."

"It's because of his extremism you trust him," said Chiffan. "It's because in the last resort we believe in his indiscretion, and know he won't fail us even if we fail ourselves. All leadership is extravagance. Extra–vagance. Going a bit ahead."

Rud did not quite understand that. "It's because you know I'm right," he said.

"It's because," said Chiffan, letting his thoughts run away with him, "to make a new world, the leader must be a fundamentally destructive man, a recklessly destructive man. He breaks his way through the jungle and we follow…We cannot do without you, Rud."