LABOUR DIVIDED

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 37, 7 November 1933, Page 9

LABOUR DIVIDED

British Foreign Policy LEAGUE AND LOCARNO Mr. Citrine and Sir S. Cripps MR. LANSBURY’S THREAT By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. (Received November 6, 11.5 p.m.) London, November 0. Sections of the Labour Party are becoming still more divided over British policy in the of the Locano or League of Nations commitments involving the country in » possible war. Mr. Walter Citrine, general secretary of the Trades Union Council, at Peterborough, said trade unionists were gravely disturbed at recent happenings. A war atmosphere had been generated which threatened the peace of the world. It was no use assuming the trade union movement could be used on any and every occasion war broke out in a remote part of the world. The present law of Britain made a general strike illegal, and it would be folly to resort to that method in a way exhorted by some quarters. , The newspapers connect Mr. Citrine's speech with Sir Stafford Cripps’s recent proposals in favour- of a general strike against war. Mr. Arthur Henderson and other controllers of the Labour Party machine are also at loggerheads. Mr. George Lansbury is opposing Locarno on the ground that a provision in tire treaty is likely to drag Britain into war. An editorial in the official journal of the Labour Party definitely states that Britain is pledged to uphold the rule of law in international affairs. The policy of the Labour Party is based on the conviction that questions of peace and war are the collective concern of all nations, and national security must be collectively secured. The matter is specially interesting in view of tire big anti-Locarno vote given Labour at recent by-elections. Speaking at Forth on Sunday, Mr. Lansbury said when the Socialists got into power with the mass of soldiers and sailors behind them, the Socialist Government would know what to do with the officers who were treacherous in the day of trial.