IN PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 108, 7 May 1926, Page 7

IN PARLIAMENT

DISCUSSION ON STRIKE

BALDWIN EXPLAINS POSITION

(Australian-New Zealand Cable Assn.) LONDON, 6th May. In the House of Commons, continuing the debate on the strike on the item of the Government's proposed regulations under the Emergency Powers Act, Mr. Lloyd George deplored the Government's precipitancy in breaking off negotiations. It was a serious and most grave error,

he said, and lie shared the apprehensions of the previous speaker, Mr. Henderson (Lab.). He did not think, as a groat many did, that this was something that would pass away easily. He was convinced that the public were behind the Ministry in the maintenance of essential services, but the Ministry must not underrate the forces on the other side. The trades unions were the best disciplined and most ably led. There was loyalty amongst the unions almost like the loyalty of an army. It would be a mistake for the House to assume that the men would dribble back and throw over their leaders. It was the House which would settle the matter in the end. He believed it was over-early to do so at the moment, because the nation did not realise quite how things were going. What really mattered was the spirit and manner in which the regulations were carried out. He appealed to the Government to exercise restraint and tact and not make four million trade unionists feel the law was strained against them. He condemned the attack on unionists published in the "British Gazette." It was most undesirable, he said, to engender bitterness, the dregs of which would be drunk not by unionists but by millions of innocent people. The Home Secretary (Sir William Joynson-Hicks) said he accepted •» responsibility for the publication, but he did not read it. He denied that it was intended to use it as propaganda. "WHAT WE WANT IS NEWS, NOT DOPE." Mr. Lloyd George: "What we want is news, not dope." He appealed to the Government to conduct proceedings with temper, restraint, and impartiality, which would reflect credit on the nation. Sir William Joynson-Hicks: "I have Ino intention of stopping meetings. My aim is to administer the regulations in the manner Mr. Lloyd George hopes.'' Sir Edward Iliffe (C), on behalf of the directors of a group of newspapers, with a circulation exceeding 10,000,000, offered to print in each edition two columns of matter supplied by the Labour Party, unaltered. Mr. T. P. O'Connor asked how it could be to the advantage of anybody to continue the struggle. The country would hold the man who defeated the last attempts to prevent, the disastrous war heavily, if not criminally, responsible. He concluded: "Js there a question of dignity? Good Godl What's a man's dignity compared with this great disaster?" FINAL PROCEEDINGS. Mr. J. H. Thomas said that at 11 o'clock on Sunday night he accepted a proposal for settlement, which Mr. Baldwin himself had written down. Mr. Baldwin, intervened, and explained that the formula was not written by himself but was1 reached by a discussion between a permanent official, acting for the Government, and the Trades Union Congress, which might be submitted to the miners. Mr. Baldwin added that members of Cabinet were trying to get an assurance from the Trades Union Council that a settlement could be arrived at on the lines of the Commission's report. He was not clear if the council, said they were satisfied about that. While the Trades Council were seeing the miners, the Government learned of an overt act to suppress the newspapers." They felt that this completely changed the situation. Mr. J. R. Mac Donald intervened, saying: "The council were only in the next room, but were not asked if they were responsible, or even if they knew about it. While they were busy working out a formula, Mr. Baldwin's letter was received saying the whole thing was finished. When, the consternation was over we decided to send a deputation to Cabinet and explain the matter, .but found the door locked and the whole place in darkness.'' Mr. Baldwin: "As regards the alleged lack of courtesy in ending the negotiations, let me remind Mr. MacDonald that the negotiations were broken oil: because of the actual beginning of a general strike. It is a pity that the work of the peacemakers was killed by the action of hot-heads, but no Government could yield to a general strike. The moment the strike is called off unconditionally, the Government is prepared to resume negotiations." Sir Alfred Mond appealed for a renewed conference. There was no reason why the Government should not prolong the subsidy for a few weeks if it saw peace ahead. Mr. V. Hartshorn declared that until to-day there had not been a really genuine attempt to bring about a settleof strength it would be a mistake to ment. If this was going to bo a trial, imagine it would end speedily. FORMULA OF NEGOTIATIONS. On the motion for adjournment, Mr Baldwin amplified his earlier explanations regarding the negotiations on Sunday. He emphasised that the difficulty throughout the week had been the impossibility of securing, either from the miners or the Trades Union Congress, a full and free acceptance of the Commission's report, with all its implications. The terms of the formula given by Mr. Thomas were:— '■The Prime Minister has satisfied himself, as the result of conversations with representatives of the Trades Council, tl: at if the negotiations arc to bo continued it is understood that the strike notice shall cease to be operative, and that representatives of the council are confident that a settlement can be reached on the lines of the report within a fortnight." Owing to the unmoving attitude of the miners regarding the assurances that should be given, a new formula w{is given, reading: "We would urge the minors to authorise us to enter into discussions, with the understanding that we accept the report as a basis of settlement, and we approach it with the knowledge that it may involve some reduction of wages." Mr. Baldwin concluded: "It has been said in the House of Commons that the organisers of the general strike did not intend it to be a strike against the Government. Kow better can they show their good faith than by saying now that it lias become a strike against the Government? Until the general strike is out of the way all progress is blocked completely." Mr. Thomas followed, and recapitulated the negotiations, incidentally saying that after Friday it had ceased to be a miners ' dispute, and the council was empowered to act with full authority, but Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland and Mr. Neville Chamberlain intervened and contradicted Mr. Thomas, pointing out that the council later said it was not empowered to take a decision on beTiab" of the miners. Mr. Thomas concluded: "I am not going to allow passion or temper, or even the wonderful responses of our people, to allow me to bang the door on the pence I hope speedily will come. Just before the House adjourned Mr. Lloyd George asked that in view of the vital points disclosed in the debate, would he be able to refer to the matter to-morrow. The Speaker replied in the afiirmative. The House adjourned.