INDEPENDENT LABOUR

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 178, 22 April 1924, Page 8

INDEPENDENT LABOUR

CONFERENCE OPENED AT YORK , DUTY OF ORGANISED SOCIALISTS PERSISTENT PRESSURE ON GOVERNMENT At tha conferenoa of the Independent Labour Party at York, the president said it was the duty of Socialists organised as independent Labour to assist the Government by persistent pressure in favour of increasing the bold ’ use of power for Socialist measures and administration and rigorous propaganda in readiness for next election. Br Telegraph—Press Association. Copyright. l.'Ondon, April 20. The existence of the Labour Government adds interest to the confer-ence-of the Independent Labour Party, &a twenty-six members of the Government and 129 Labour members of the House of Coinmens belong to that section of the party, while others, owe allegiance to the Trades’ Union Congress. Lord. IVrmoor, Mr. John Wheatlev. Mr. C. P. Trevelyan, Mr. F. W. Jowett, and Mr. Morgan Jones were on the platform, when the president. Mt. Clifford Allan, addressed the 450 delegates present, wnen tne conference opened at York. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald will attend on Monday in order to answer criticism of the Government, which is expected to he frank, from those who are dissatisfied with the Government s reluctance to adopt a bold policy in carrying out Labour’s programme. Mr. Allan said that the party had been called upon to be constructors rather than destroyers, and it was the duty of Socialists organised as independent Labour to assist the Government by maintaining a persistent pressure in favour (1) of increasing a bold use of power for Socialist measures and administratiCJi, and (2) vigorous propaganda of Socialist knowledge in readiness for next election. He did not think the present system of government, whereby no party had a majority in the House of Commons, was likely to last long. Referring to the Liberals, Mr. Allan said that no party can save Europe and . build up the next stage of our. civilisation whose only programme is dislike or both the other political parties. Labour Government is government of the common people,” he said. It' is the Government of men and women who have suffered, who have been poor with the poor, who have oeen underpaid and unemployed.” No party had ever had the world at its feet as Labour had. and it must i\ot disappoint humanity.—Sydney Sun Cable. SPEECH BY MR. MACDONALD CONSTITUTION FOR INDIA NO REASON FOR BRITISH GENERAL ELECTION London, April 20. Mr Ramsay MacDonald, at the Independent Labour Party conference at York stated tEat Dominion status for India is the Labour Government ideal. He appealed to Indian friends to do their brt for British democracy and to keep their faith in the Labour Government. He declared that the Government inquiry now being held was in nowise an expedient for wasting time, but must produce results which would be the basis of consideration in an Indian constitution which, no hoped, would help Indians to co-operate towards the creation of a system which would be self-government. Mr. MacDonald said he saw no reason why the country should be bothered with a general election for two or even three years. He believed their duty was to carry on the Government and keep off an election, which nobody wanted and which, if it came, would settle nothing. He did not believe in coalition, arid did not think that an election could by this means be kept off. It would taka at least two or three years to put Europe on a peaceful footing, and to get industrial relaLions established in anything like a normal way. —Reuter. BRITAIN’S FOOD SUPPLIES ministerial ADVOCATE of NATIONALISATION (Rte. April 22, 0-25 p.m.) London. April 20. At the Labour Conference Mr. J. Wheatley (Minister of Health) declared that the country was getting more and more in the hands of people controlling foodstuffs, resulting in Britain being in danger of becoming an American dependency. The only solution was the nationalisation of food supplies. Asserting that the greatest market for British goods existed m Britain Mr. Wheatley added: It is all very well to talk of assisting Russia and Germany. Why not trv to put Britain on her feet?”- —Sydney “Sun” Cable.