STORM IN HOUSE

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 80, 1 October 1924, Page 5

STORM IN HOUSE

DROPPED PROSECUTION

CASE AGAINST LABOUR EDITOR

INCITING DISOBEDIENCE IN

TROOPS.

(UNITED PRHS3 ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIQBT.)

(R'EOTER'S TELKQRAM.) (Received Ist October, noon.)

LONDON, 30th September

A storm aTose in the House of Commons as the result of questions in regard to the Government's dropping the prosecution of J. R. Campbell, editor of

"The Workers'' Weekly," for alleged incitement of the fighting forces to dis-

obey orders.

Sir Patrick Hastings, Attorney-Gen-eral, said that as the result of careful investigation he concluded that it was impossible to hold Campbell criminally responsible for the publication. The At-torney-General emphatically denied thut his decision was influenced by outside, representations.

Mr. Mac Donald intervened, subsequent to heated exchanges between Conservatives and Labour members. He declared that he was unwilling to allow the explanation of the real circumstances of the dropping of the prosecution to be delayed till the autumn.

Eventually it was arranged that all parties should debate the question nest week, when the House of Lords is dealing with the Irish Bill. Mr. Baldwin hinted that the Opposition might move a, vote of censure on the Government.

A cable message of 13th August stated that John Ross Campbell, editor of the "Workers' Weekly," had been discharged. The Crown accepted the plea that the artfele was merely comment on the use of armed forces for the suppression of industrial disputes. It was admitted that the defendant had an admirable military record. The Political Bureau of the Communist Party has issued a statement that Campbell's defence would be justification. It was proposed to subpoena Mr. Mac Donald, Mr. Henderson, and Mr. Clynes as witnesses for the defence. The withdrawal of the charge was made on the sole responsibility of the Labour Government, under severe pressure from Mr. Lansbury, Mr. Maxton, and others. The charge against Campbell was of attempting to seduce the Army from loyalty to the King by means of an article dealing with the Army and industrial disputes.