CONTROL OF ATOM BOMB

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26212, 8 September 1950, Page 7

CONTROL OF ATOM BOMB

LIVELY DISCUSSION BY T.U.C.

LONDON, September 6. Discussion over control of the atom bomb to-day caused pandemonium at the annual conference in Brighton of delegates from the 8,000,000 strong Trades Union Congress. For 10 minutes there was uproar as delegates tried to push forward a resolution urging Britain to reopen, through the United Nations, the question of international control of atomic energy production, the banning of atomic weapons, and the .destruction of atom bomb stocks.

At one time the president (Mr Herbert Bullock) and Mr Walter Padley, M.P., who is also president of the Shop Assistants’ Union, were on their feet together trying to make themselves heard.

Another delegate seized a microphone and shouted into it. while the president roared at him to sit down. The trouble began when it was announced that the atom resolution would be treated only as an amendment to the general council’s international affairs report, which broadly supports the Government policy. Mr Padley protested that the resolution should be dealt with on its merits, especially as treating it as an amendment would cut down the time he was entitled to speak. Eventually Mr Bullock agreed to give Mr Padley and his supporters the speaking time they demanded. Mr Padley. in his speech, said that the Communist dictatorship was “irremediably foul.” The T.U.C. general secretary (Sir Vincent Tewson) who opposed the resolution, said: “In the conditions of the cold war. with the general attitude of Soviet Russia, and certainly in the light of circumstances to-day. I am confident that the T.U.C. would not vote for the destruction of all atom bombs which are in the United States.”

Dr. P. W. Brain supported Mr Padlev on behalf of the Association of Scientific Workers. He suggested that both the United States and Soviet proposals f or atomic control had deficiencies. but there was evidence that the views of the two conflicting schools of thought were closer now than ever before.

The resolution was defeated on a card vote by 5,601,000 votes to 1.972.000,