HOME POLITICS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17628, 4 December 1922, Page 9

HOME POLITICS.

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY DEBATE,

TRADE AND EMPLOYMENT,

(By Cubic—Press Association—Copyright.) (Australian and X.Z. Cable Association.)

LONDON, December 1

Continuing the Addrcss-in-R<?ply debate, Mr Phillip Soiowden urged the recognition of the Soviet ill order to compel it to throw away the last shreds of Bolshevism and Communism, and to bring about renewed trade Labour did not f.ivour unemployment insurance. If work was not obtainable the nation should maintain the workers on a sca-le sufficient to prevent physical deterioration. In regard to land reform, the State should devote itself to intensive production, while the principle of cooperation should bo extensively applied. The question of reparations should be handed to the League of Nations. Lieutenant-Colonel Page Croft urged the Premier to boldly ask the Empire Prime Ministers to give the Motherland vast tracts of country in each Dominion for development by settlors. Mr Asquith, in the Address-in-Reply debate, described the Government's remedial measures as a melancholy instalment towards a solution of the unemployment problem. Until international trade was stabilised, we) should continue to be, of all tho nations, among the chief sufferers. Over the whole economic situation tin Europe loomed two spectres—reparations and indebtedness; and until these were laid, economic stability was hopeless. Mr Bonar Law agreed with Mr Asquith in the main. Much had beeto said about Germany's inability to pay the reparations, but it seemed to him curious, as a result of the war, that this country, which had sacrificed so much to obtain victory, should be the only one, almost, to pay any indemnity. Tlie extent to which Britain had become industrialised, and the small extent of her agricultural population, had caused far greater suffering than in other countries. He urged the great possibility of trade development •with the Dominions. Nothing could be worse than to give the impression that there would be no improvement until Central Europe was put right. There was a possibility of an immense improvement. The remedies proposed by members of thei Labour Party would make the case far worse. He believed that there was now a real chance of trade improvement.

LABOUR AMENDMENT DEFEATED. (Received December 3rd, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 1. Mr Ramsay Macdonald said the Government's description of the elvil was very bad, and the proposals for dealing with it were even worse, if, aa a result of the war, our peculiar position as a specialised productive world Power had gone. Emigration must be faced, as a great many who had_ emigrated were back in this country with all their savings gone, and in a much worse state than when they went away. The Government's ameliorative scheme would only absorb 120,000 out of a million and a-half unemployed. He hoped the Houee would support the Labour amendment as a vote of censure. The amendment was defeated by 303 votes to 172. CIVIL SERVICE ESTIMATES. LONDON, December 1. Supplementary Estimates amounting to £7,844,000 for the Civil servioe havo been presented to Parliament, including £5,866.000 in connexion with the liquidation of the Ministry of Shipping, £933,000 expenses in connexion with the Royal Irish Constabulary, and £25'2,000 grants to ex-eervice men in Ireland. MR CHAMBERLAIN HONOURED. LONDON, December 1. Coalition peers and members of the House of Commons gave a dinner to Mr Austen Chamberlain at the Houise of Commons. Lord Birkenhead, who presided, read a striking tribute from, Earl Balfour. Responding to the toast of his health, Mr Chamberlain said: —"I think that the election restores all sections of the old Coalition to their perfect freedom of action. Mr Lloyd George has satisfied his obligations of comradeship and honour to us and so haive we to him. Having fully discharged those obligations, we have now the freedom 1 of choice regarding our future attitude in public affairs."