END OF POLITICAL TRUCE

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 102, 24 January 1940, Page 5

END OF POLITICAL TRUCE

Coming Party Rallies DEMONSTRATIONS BY WORKERS Dominion Special Service. CHRISTCHURCH, January 23'. Au open rupture of the "political truce” agreed on by the Government and the Opposition at the outbreak of the war is being planned by Labour organizations throughout the Dominion. Further steps are being taken to carry out the concerted arrangements made before Christmas to hold demonstrations iby workers in support of the Government. The arrangement made early in December by Labour organizations was that the first rally should be held in Auckland. Labour Party workers at that time held that the "truce” had been broken by statements issued by National Party members, and a resolve was made that Labour should come out into the. open and place its views on the political situation before the public. An oblique reference to the disavowal of the “truce” is considered by National Party members to have been made as recently as last Friday night, when the Deputy-Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, in an address to the Auckland Labour Representation Committee and the Auckland Council of the Federation of Labour, “referred to the desirability of holding the proposed mass demonstration of workers in the near future, and of inviting the Prime Minister to speak.” Public Meeting Held. It was news to the National Party workers that any mass demonstration of workers was proposed. Officials of the party in Canterbury were, however, not surprised, an official report having been received that a public address had been given in Morrinsville by Mr. Barclay, M.P., since the absence on military service of Colonel Allen, M.P.

The holding o£ a demonstration in Christchurch has been under consideration by the Labour Representation Committee for more than a month. The indications are that the rally will not he held till the Wellington workers hold their demonstration, reported to be fixed for March 4. Advice-, on their conduct during the war was given by the national organization of the Labour Party early in October. One recommendation was that no political meetings be held “till further notice,” though branches were urged to the utmost effort to maintain and strengthen their organization during the war period.

* Party Branch’s Protest. objection of National Party members to activities which they consider to be a violation of the “political truce” has been made frequently. The latest branch of the party to make a resolution on the subject is Wakanui, which recently carried the following motion: — "That this branch desires to draw the attention of the Mid-Canterbury executive of the National Party to the continued spread of Labour propaganda, specially over tlie radio of this country, while we are at war. We are of the opinion ’that the National Party, and particularly our own executive, should consider renewing our efforts in the interests of the National Party immediately. "That this branch, through the executive, desires that we compliment the Leader of His Majesty’s Opposition, Mr. Hamilton, on the stand he lias taken recently in drawing the attention of the people to the continued Socialization of their life and services and the failure of the Government to avail itself of the offer of co-operation made by the Opposition at the outbreak of war.”