"DANGEROUS"

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 137, 6 December 1930, Page 9

"DANGEROUS"

Ti&BOUR MAN'S ATTACK

"WILD STATEMENTS"

An attack made by Mr. Gabb (Labbur, South Australia) on the inflationist doctrines of the Labour left wing ■Was the strongest that has been held in the House of Representatives, says the Sydney "Sun." Angry murmurs | from the seats of the militants punctuated Mr. Gabb's forcible remarks. . "I am well aware of what I am 'doing," he declared at, one stage in Ms speech. "I. realise that this will ■become an important' political issue in the near future. It is because I recognise the dangers of undue inflation that I wish to make my protest here, and now against any move in that direction." ' His "speech" provided another example of Mr. Gabb's courage. The views he expressed in opposition to inflation were distasteful to a large number of Labour members. After listening to him for a few minutes in pained silence, they rose and trooped from the Chamber. 1 NOT OP WILD MEN. "I simply wish to dissociate myself from some of the wild statements which have, been made by a section of themselves'on this side of the House," he said, looking straight at his fellow-1 South Australian, Mr. Yates, the most | garrulous of the Labour inflationist group. Mr. Gabb proceeded that his opposition to this expedient was based on the fact that it would raise prices to a higher level without producing a corresponding increase in the real wages of the workers. "I am not afraid to say where I stand on this issue," ho said. "I believe that undue inflation is opposed to the true interests of the mass of the people, and I have the courage to say so. People like Messrs. Yates and Lazzarini, who take it as unction to their souls that they have Mr. Wickens on their side, are making a terrific mistake. They totally misread Mr. Wickens's statement. He does not subscribe to their doctrines. Far from it." "HALF-FED SLAVES." Mr. Corser (Nationalist, Queensland) led off with the provocative statement that the British Government has fallen down on the job by failing to give increased preferences to Dominion products. Erom this stage onwards he was in almost continual trouble with Government members. This was particularly so when he declared that the British Labour Government was allowing Russia to flood Britain with wheat grown by their half-fed slaves, to the exclusion of Australian wheat. ' The shameful fact about this position, according to Mr. Corser, was that Russia had repudiated her debt to Britain, while Australia depended on the sale of her wheat to enable her to carry out her fixed obligations to pay all her overseas debts as they became due. "The lack of sympathy or support from the British Labour Government in our present plight is scandalous," he added.