LABOUR & ROYALTY

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 157, 21 March 1923, Page 6

LABOUR & ROYALTY

ACCEPTANCE OF KING’S INVITATION VIGOROUS REPLY TO CRITICS “ABSURD AND RIDICULOUS” BY TELBGBAPH.-PKESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT. London, Afarch 19. There has been considerable criticism in Labour circles of the Labour leaders’ acceptance of tho King’s invitation to Buckingham Palace. Air. J. H. Thomas, M.P., in a vigorous reply at Garston, Liverpool, said that the controversy was receiving unnecessary attention. On th© constitutional side he believed that, if the Labour Party camo into power to-morrow, they would find the King prepared to accept their advice as readily as that of tho Liberal Party. “We, therefore,” he said, “must accept and appreciate such constitutional action. If Air. AlacDonald had been ignored as Leader of the Opposition, that would have meant that Labour was deliberately flouted and the p.-esent critics would certainly have accused the King of bias against the Labour Pary. “The Labour Party has never declarer! itself in favour of a Republican Constitution. If that course were ever adopted, after the pros and cons had been considered, those who make the present complaint would be justified in their comments, but not before the issue has been determined.

“The personal, as opposed to the constitutional issue, is even more mean and dangerous, It presupposes that we should neither associate nor include among our friends any people '■lvho are wealthy or who differ from ns politically. If the embargo is to apply to all who are not among the co-oalled ‘workers,’ it will mean ignoring many whose brains and sacrifice are a great asset to tho Labour Party. Thus many general managers are close friends of ours. Are we to tell them that the Labour Party is going to treat them as lepers? “The whole thing is absurd and ridiculous. Such a policy would only lead to class antagonism and be disastrous to the country.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.