SITUATION IN BRITAIN

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 107, 6 May 1926, Page 9

SITUATION IN BRITAIN

SURVEYED BY HOME SECRETARY

PROVISION FOR EMERGENCY MEASURES

The situation in Britain on tlie second day *t the great general strike was surveyed by toe Home Secretary (Sir William Joynson-Hicks) in explaining to the Houso of Commons the regulations under the Emergency Powers Act, deemed necessary to safeguard the life of the nation.

(United Press Association.—Copyright) (Australian-New Zealand Cable Assn.) (Received 6th May, 11 a.m.) LONDON, sth May. The interest in events in Parliament was evidenced by the early arrival of the Prince of "Wales and the Duke of York, who sat together in tho Royal Gallery, and followed tho questions with the closest attention. Mr. Ronald M'Neill, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, answering Commander Kenworthy (L.), said that the Government had. not considered closing the Stock Exchange during the crisis. The Home Secretary, Sir W. JoynsonHicks, moved that approval be given to the Emergency Powers Act regulations, which were inoperative, if not' approved, within seven days. He asked that thoy be approved for one month, after which the whole country hoped that an extension would be unnecessary. They did not prevent a man from, striking, but they enabled the Government to take possession of land, buildings, and undertakings for the benefit of the whole nation. COPE WBFH SEDITION. The Home Socretary said that tho 21st regulation related to sedition, and in its main lines, regarding incitement to mutiny and disaffection, was an adaptation of the existing common law, with the difference that it could be dealt with summarily. Regulation 33a gave great power to deal with newspapers. The police could enter any building suspected of printing or publishing any document calculated to cause mutiny, sedition, or disaffection among the Forces or civilians. Furthermore, it authorised measures to secure tho supply and distribution of foodstuffs and necessaries. These powers at present were vital to the nation's life. MAINTAINING VITAL SEEVICES. He had already issued orders, ho said, for the maintenance of electric supply, the transport of motor spirit, and the continuance of railway services. The railway position was improving, likewise that of the buses. Most of London's power stations were working admirably. X)nly 33 per cent, of naval ratings and 12 per cent, of volunteers had hitherto been used in them. Fivo power stations weTe not working so well. The power supply of the London Hospital had been cut off that day, but the Ministry would take steps to correct such things. The food supply was going on well. Tho Government would do its utmost to protect those carrying out their legal avocations. "I appeal to all able-bodied men, "declared the Home Secretary, "to protect the community in this time of difficulty and danger." Mr. E. Tnurtle (Labour): "Will you deal with article 22, taking away the right of public meetings?" MARCH ON LONDON AVERTED. Sir W. Joynson-Hicks: "That regulation prohibits meetings likely to cause grave disorder. The police last night learned that the Deptford Communists, with the National Unemployed Workers' Committee and an international class-war organisation, were holding a meeting with a view to organsing an immense procession to march to the heart of London to-night. This was lively to cause a breach of the peace, so I directed tho police to prevent the procession. The country at the moment is steady." Sir W. Joynson-Hicks quoted .Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald's 1912 book on syndicalism, in which he said he was against a general strike, which was not a weapon of reform, but hit tho poor heavily, the middle class less, and the rich least of all, and that society would organise against it. ATTACK BY HENDERSON. The Home Secretary continued: "That is what I wish to emphasise. Time is on the side of law and order, and, if we stand fast, we shall see a way out of the difficulties." Mr. A, Henderson asked if tho Home Secretary was aware that Mr. Baldwin on Saturday evening received a definite offer from those responsible who were able to give the very assistance to which Sir W. JoynsonHicks referred. "One woulcl have thought," he declared, "that the Government would have said, as the responsible union leaders had never ceased to say, that they were prepared to negotiate and find a formula whereby the whole busines could be terminated." It was no use, he added, boing told that they were in a stato of war. The Government was not even prepared to talk and try to find a settlement. If that was going to continue to bo the Government's attitude, then tho position in this country in the next few days was going to be such as to baffle the imagination of everybody. GET BACK TO WHERE WE WERE. He was as alarmed at the position as any Conservative. He believed that trade union' experienco dictated that even now the House should lend its energies to see whether they could not get back to whore they were at 1 o'clock on Monday morning. He believed that the negotiations would then have gone on, if tho news had not como that a certain newspaper had been interfered with. It should be the business of all sections of tho Houso to return to that position and see if.the matter could not bo settled by reason and not by force.