TRADE UNIONS AND POLITICS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17460, 22 May 1922, Page 7

TRADE UNIONS AND POLITICS.

ENGLISH AMENDING BILL. DEBATE IN HOUSE OE COMMONS. 'Bv C*u>—Pross Association —Copyright.) (Australian ana N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, May IP. In the House of Commons, Lieut.Colonel E. C. Meysey-Thompson (Co.Unionist, Handsworth) moved tho second reading ol' his amending Trade Union Bill providing that before a union could take political action, eueh mu3t be approved by 20 per cent, of it? members voting on the proposition in a poll in which at least half those eiigibls to do so, voted. Colonel Thompson declared the Bill did not attack trade unions, but merely restored tha legal position they occupied prior to the Osborne, judgment. Large numbers of trade unionists demanded freedom in politics. Mv J. R. Clynes (Labour. Mancfoesttf*), in moving the rejection of the Bill,'said that while he did not question the mover's intentions, the Bill would seriously «undermine trade unions', political aims and public work. No workmen were now compelled to pay union contributions for political pruvpse3 if they desired not to. Mr C. Jesson (Co.-Labour, Walthnmstow, and a trade union organiser) welcomed tho Bill, hut other Labour members strongly opposed it on the ground that it aimed «t putting back the deck of progress owing to fears of Labour'?, growing political power. The closure was applied amid Labour protests, and t)he Bill read a, second time by 161 votes to 82.