TO RUIN.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18547, 24 November 1925, Page 10

TO RUIN.

THE COMMUNIST AIM. LABOUR LEADERS' STAND. (FBOII OUR OWH COBKESrOKDEKT.) LONDON, October 15. Leaders of the Labour Party in Parliament took a firm stand against the Communists at the Labour Party's confereuce at Liverpool. The opposing factions came to close quarters at an early stage in the proceedings.. An cil'ort was made to defy the executive, a motion being made referring back | the report oj the Standing Orders Committee. Last year the Communists were definitely refused affiliation. 'JV committee reported that, in view of that emphatic decision the issue under the standing orders, could not be raised again for three years, as the matter was essentially one of policy or principle. This finding met with the support of the executive, but was at once challenged by the minority, which having permeated the trade union movement to some extent, as the recent proceedings at Scarborough showed, thought to repeat its success at Liverpool. Mr C. T. Cramp, the president, had carefnlly prepared the resolutions and agenda. Coming to the question In everyone's mind, he said: "We stand to-day at the parting of the ways. Influences have been at work in our movement which have confused and divided our people. Our ablest and 1 most sincere and gifted leaders have been the target of malignant criticism. Our policy has been deflected by subtle and crafty methods, by people who aim at the disruption of the movement, which has been built up by loyal and self-sacrificing men and women. Democratic Principles. "We should be false to the pioneers of this movement if we failed to-day to reaffirm the creative democratic principles in which we believe and to repudiate the barren and destructive policies which a tiny minority has \tried to force us to accept." Several resolutions asking for the affiliation of the Communist Party or the eligibility of Communists as Labour candidates had been ruled out of order by the Standing Orders Committee on "the ground that the standing order ruled when a general policy had been decided it should not appear on the agenda for three years. Then Mr Arthur Henderson intervened with a plea that the time of the conference should- not be wasted, as the question had been decided by an overwhelming majority for the last four years. The reference back motion was defeated by 2,954,000 votes to 321,000 votes, but the Communists had plenty more ammunition in reserve. "Can't Keep Us Out." Mr Cramp then submitted the first proposal of the executive committee: — '- "That .no member of I;he Communist party euall, be ,eligible to : become .a* member'of any industrial section of any affiliated local Labour Party or be entitled to remain a member." Here Mr Harry Pollitt, of the Boilermakers' Union, and secretary of the National Minority Movement, moved the rejection. "You can't keep us out," he oried; "we will get in one way or the other. If we pay our political levy to the union we are entitled to represent them. If some of our leaders dine at Balmoral Castle, and others yacht with Lord Inchcape, there is room for us, too." Philosophy Poles Asunder. After a few other speeches from the floor, the ex-Prime Minister ascended the rostrum, being received with tremendous applause. ; Leaning for support against the rail, he poured ridicule and scorn on Communist intrigues with the air of a man who realised that unless he smashed them they would smash himL "If it is a question of men with stronger views, hut actuated by the same spirit, let them," he said, "be here. That is not the case at all. They have a different point of view." Then he quoted the following from the thesis of the Red Communist International : "The workers should prepare not for an easy. parliamentary victory, but heavy civil war." A pause came while Mr Mac Donald let thie picture of this civil war in England stand stark before the delegates. Then he continued in a voice which thrilled with passion: "You cannot run those ideas together. We be! ieve in a parliamentary victory: they do not. We are. poles asunder in our philosophy and our outlook. If I were a Communist I wouldn't ask to he a member of the Labour Party.

I would say to you: 'You believe you are right, I am convinced you are wrong. I'll start a rival Party and God defend the right when tho clash comes." The vote was now taken, and the Communists were defeated by 2,870,000 to 321,000. A Third Victory. The second resolution of the executive asked' members, when electing delegates to national or local Labour Party conferences to refrain from electing} members of non-affiliated political parties, including the, Communists. Mr Shinwell now made a desperate and bitter attempt by attacking the right wing leaders to saive one brand from the burning, but again Mr; Henderson intervened very effectively. Mr Bromley objected to the resolution, which would start a heresy hunt in the Unions. "Sometimes," he oried, "three out of five of my delegation are Communists, and if they are expelled 1 shall leave with them." But his persuasion had no effect. The resolution was carried by 2,672,000 to 480,000. To the Shambles. Mr Cramp, in his presidential address, said that those who challenged the Labour Party's foreign policy regarding tho League of Nations , and Arbitration,?; did. not challenge, be-cause-.'they had found: easier- -and safer plan. vr/3! ! h0 « road,", he.; ppnffnued, "upon, which th&y would lead the" international proletariat ends in a shambles. The peace they would.' achieve by their policy of world revolution and armed dictatorship is the peace of utter desolation and universal ruin. We will have none of it." ;•

He asked those who talked so much, about revolution what they meant by the word. "We have no right," he said, "to play with the lires of working men and women, and therefore if it be" felt that our policy should be to arm! to drill, and to enter upon, physical warfare, then let the policy be put openly to the movement, and let.us ascertain the desire of the majority upon the poini.V He concluded with a. pleiv for patient constructive work in Parliament in an effort to transform society without bloodshed and without violence.