THE LABOUR PLEDGE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1018, 6 January 1911, Page 5

THE LABOUR PLEDGE.

ABOLITION IN BRITAIN. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. London, January 4. The executive of the Labour party proposes to replace the old third clause of its constitution, which contains the party pledge and reads as follows:—

1. Candidates and members must accept this constitution; agree to abido by the decisions of tiie Parliamentary party in carrying out the aims of this constitution; appear before their constituencies under the title of Labour candidates only; abstain strictly from identifying themselves with or promoting the interests of any Parliamentary party, uot affiliated or its candidates; and they must not oppose any candidate recognised by the Executive Committee of the party.

2. Candidates must undertake to join the Parliamentary Labour party, if elected.

A conference will be held at Leicester on February 1. The proposed now clause requires candidates for election to Parliament to abstain strictly from promoting other interests than those of the Labour party. The executive claims that the new clause will put Labour on the same footing as the Liberals and Tories.

HAS A BARGAIN BEEN STRUCK? The decision of tho Executive Committee of the Labour party that tho timo has arrived when there shall bp eliminated from the constitution "certain conditions, including the signing of tho constitution," is an event, wr ° ) ; o Times" in a recent article, that maj modify tho political situation c ° nsl °"- nblv. The announcement that tno constitution may be tlius revised canno. be separated from the determination of the party enter upon a campaign for tlio ''reversal" of tho Osborne judgment by tho nassing into law of a Bill legalising compulsory levies for Parliamentary purF While tho majority of the Law Lords who delivered judgment in the Osborne case declared these levies to J.e illegal, two of .them indicated that they were influenced in agreeing to dismiss the appeal bv the consideration that the lAbouv party 'imposes a strict pledge upon the members who arc returned to. 1 mont under its auspices that their political action shall be subject to the direction of the party. It is this constitutional" aspect of the questioni winch is considered to have stood in the way ot tho acceptance of the Labour party s new demands bv many Liberals -who do not obicct to. the payment of members out of* trade union funds, it is not necessary,, perhaps, to suggest that a political bargain has been struck, -but it is difficult to rosist the conclusion that the Dro nosed abandonment of tho "pledge" "is calculated to have its effect upon the fortunes of the Bill to which the Labour nartv are about to ask tho Prime Minister to grant facilities. It is one of the declared objects of the conference which is to lie held on November 10 to appoint a deputation to wait upon tho Prime Minister with this object in view. ■ It remains to be seen, of course, whether the annual meeting of the Labour party, which is to V held at Leicester in February next, will acoept tho. recommendation .of the Executive Committee. It was admitted by those who are closely interested in Labour politics that the proposed abolition of tho "pledge," for the enforcement of -which the more extreme sectiou of the party has fought strenuously; for many years past, will be opposed with some bitterness. It is to bo noted, however, that tho Executive Committee contains representatives not only of the trade unions—the more moderate wing—but also of the Independent Labour .party and tho Fabian Society—admittedly the intransigents of tho party.