SAFEGUARDING.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19974, 8 July 1930, Page 19

SAFEGUARDING.

NOTTINGHAM BY-ELECTION GREAT CONSERVATIVE » VICTORY. (ntoic otra own cobeispondent.) ' LONDON, May 30. Whether the Labour Party liked it or not, the Nottingham by-election centred round the question of safeguarding. The verdict of the people' there is clear. The Conservatives expected a victory, but they hardly counted on success in so striking a f ;ree as is revealed by an analysis of the figures. In his final appeal the Conservative candidate declared: "It is. in our power to strike a decisive blow for the safeguarding oPNottingham's workers, and of British industry. - "Let us strike with our full Strength, confident in our cause, and inspired by the. knowledge ■that the whole country awaits the decision." ' The result of the poll was: Mr T. J. O'Connor (Cons.) ... 14,946 Sir A. E. Waterson (Soc.) ... 7,923 Oapt. R. C. Berkeley (Lib.) ... 4,618 Majority over Socialist ... 7,023 Majority over Liberal 10,268 Majority over Socialist and Liberal ..- ... 2,975 No Change. At the General Election the figures were: — Sir (then Mr) A. J. Bennett (Cons.) -.. 14,671 Mm E. Barton (Soc.) ... 11.573 Mr Brampton (Lib.) ... 8,733 Conservative majority ... 2,998 Mr Baldwin sent the following message to Mr O'Connor: ''Heartiest congratulations on your wonderful victory. Nottingham has given a great lead which the country will follow." Labour Leaders' Messages. Messages sent by Mr Mac Donald and by Mr tonowden to Mr Waterson, the Labour candidate, indicate , how seriously the Government are taking this Empire and Safeguarding movement, which is sweeping over the country. The Prime Minister wrote:— "In view of the magnitude of the issues, .the political cries used by our opponents to gain electoral results can bring nothing but disappointment, as every carefully compiled body of statistics showing volumes of exports and jptportdp employment and unemployment, proves. When to this is added an Imperial campaign which assumes (hat the Dominions will play a part they will never accept, the bankruptcy of the case of ovjr opponents is apparent to everyone who look? facts squarely in the face. Their lack of belief in their own case is confessed by the futile expedient ofthe referendum, which they nave had to adopt in order to try to preserve some appearance of unity. They are but trifling with the crisis. The steps taken by the Government to meet the needs qf ,the unemployed and to hasten reorganisation have saved multitudes of our people from cruel distress during'these hard months." Mr Snowden, in his message, said that the attempt of the Tory Party, Mt the dictation of Press magnates, to make the lapsing of the lace duties the only issue of the election, carried a lesson which he hoped the electors would seriously ponder. If the Tory policy of extending' protection ; other trades was ever-carried out.Hien slection?. .would cease to be fought on great national questions, and the selfish interests of employers in every trade wquld submerge every other issue. Politics would become a sink of corruption, and Parliament an arena of conflict between various trades, each trying to gain some selfish advantage at the expense of the rest. The effect of protection was to raise prices and to reduce real and nominal wages. Pro. tection was also a 'method of. trans-ferring-taxation from tho rich to the poor. The Conservatives were opposing the Budget because it placed ; tho increased taxation on those beet "able to bear it.

Tyranny of labour. "This revolt of the Nottingham lace«orkers against the tyranny of Labour politics," says the "Morning Post," i ?i» not uiorely a local phenomenon, but iasyinpathntia of the trend of.'thought in "Trade Union circles. ■ We see it in the confidential report of the Economic Sub-Committee" of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress, which lias somehow or other got into the papers. That report is the logical development of what Mr Ben Tfllett proposed at Belfast last .year—the organisation of the British Empire as an } economic group. ■ There is an attempt i; to deny that, these conclusions involve '■ifC change of economic faith; but in view of the definition which the report supplies these disavowals seem to ns . useless." That the usually accepted definition •f an economic group is a combination iof nations, maintaining as - fa? asi possible a balance between supplies of raw materials and- manufactured goods, obacrvtng Free Trade withinthe group, * tutt ?i against,; : outsiders .if necessary."" : "As Mr Tillett was one of the signatories of this document, its premature publication placed him in rath,er an awkward position, for be hud rashl.v consented . to preside,, over ' the' f r.ee Trade "Conference. .In the circum■lances, there ■ will be an attempt to stifle these' views; but it can hardly succeed, since' they are being forced upon Qui* working classes by the devastating logic of the unemployment, [figures. Mr Mac Donald may still re"fnse, as he refused yesterday, to ini elude safeguarding in his scheme of .political co-operation; but in-the end these dismal totals will be too much lor him. and for his Party. No nation «an afford to contract out of tue struggle for existence. Br'tish production and the British Empire must delend themselves or perish.