IRAQ MANDATE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18506, 7 October 1925, Page 9

IRAQ MANDATE.

CONSERVATIVES UNEASY. SIR W. JOYNSON-HICKS ON HOME AFFAIRS. (B - '-ABLE-miSS A.SSOCUTTOK—COFT&IGHT.) IBEfTEB's TSLEGBAHS.) deceived October Oth, 10.10 p.m.', LONDON. October ;". Lord Derby presided at u luncheon at the Liverpool Conservative Club in honour of Sir YV. Joynson-Hicks (Home Secretary;. Lord Derby declared that the Government, when elected, had a mandate to smash Communism, and not to remain 25 years in Iraq. He said that the Conservatives were somewhat uneasy in that respect. Sir W. Joynson-Hicks, referring to the partial blessing he gave tho League for the Maintenance of Supplies, and the criticisms, notably Mr Ramsay MacDonald's, of his action, said that ho told the League, as he had told other organisations, that they would not be. allowed any military status whatever, but if any organisation was prepared to hand him classified lists of names for special constables, engineers, and trans-port-drivers, h2 would bo a fool not to accept them on. behalf of the Government.

He wanted to convince the country that an attempt was being made to destroy its Constitutional Government. The Communist Party was small but powerful, and definitely allied to Russia. Ho described his consultations with the Attorney-General and the Public Prosecutor in reference to the utterances of Saklatvala and Tom Mann. They had decided that a jury would probably hold that the utterances were seditious, but that they had better wait and seo if their next speeches did not make the case conclusive. Neither opened his mouth in public after the details of his consultations were published. He concluded by stating that ho had askod the Attorney-General and the Public Prosecutor to consider if the Home Secretary's powers were sufficient. CABINET MEETS. IRAQ QUESTION FOR DISCUSSION. (JJJSTH.LU.IH JUSD X.Z. CkSIX ASSOCUTIOJI.) (Received October 6th, 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, October G. Lobby correspondents attach importance to the first meeting of Cabinet to-day after the recess. It is understood that Lord Birkenhead and other Cabinet members will object to Britain continuing her rcsponsibilitcs in Iraq beyond 1928, and hope to secure a change in the policy which Mr Amery outlined. The Cabinet meeting will assist Mr Baldwin to frame his speech for the Unionist conference at Brighton on Thursday, which the country is eagerly awaiting in vicfw of Lord Derby's speech. -

LORD DERBY'S SPEECH. FHIST-CLASS SENSATION. BLOW AT MOSUL POLICY. (Received October 6th, 11.55 p.ni.) LONDON,, October 5. The "Daily Express" describes Lord Derby's speech at Liverpool as having created a first-class sensation and administered a crushing blow to the Government's Mosul policy. ! Lord I»erhy said; "Speaking frankly, as a candid friend of the Government, something is making the Conservatives uneasy." He unexpectedly continued: "If tho Government had a mandate when elected, it was not to remain 25 yoars in Iraq. It was for another purpose that ■ everybody supported the Conservatives. lb was because they saw tho head of Communism being raised and attempts being made to Prussianise Britain. Supporters wanted tho j Government to scotch any such attempts. I ask you, what have you don© about Communism ? I belicvo you have done something, but at present I do not know what it is. If you have not tho powers to deal with Communism, inako them."