THE COMMITTEE'S REPORT

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 133, 8 June 1931, Page 9

THE COMMITTEE'S REPORT

(From "Tfio Post's" Reprosentatlvs.) LONDON, Ist May.

A Select Committee of Hie House of Commons has been -considering the Salvation Army Bill.

la hia concluding address on behalf of those in support of the Bill, Sir Lynden Macassey, K.C., stated that General Higgins was anxious that every facilitiy should bo given to those who wished to oppose the Bill to be heard. The "no change" argument (Uc proceeded) had been advanced with full sincerity and conviction by opponents of the Bill who took the view that, no matter how urgent might bo the- need for change, it must not bo iuado if it involved alteration of a jot or tittle of the deed of 1878.

The responsibility for guiding and directing the great organisation of the Salvation Army fell upon the General. Without disparaging the devotion and loyalty of those who petitioned against the Bill, it was not upon them that (he burden of responsibility was ini•poscd, and the Committee had hoard thf view of Gcsieral TJiggins us to the.

urgi'ut necessity of passing- the Bill into law. He had expressed his emphatic conviction that the Bill, if passed, would restore unity to the Army, and that if it were not passed, the results to tho Army would be disastrous. The purpose of the Bill was not to extend his autocracy, but to take from it, and to make other provisions for matters over which, up to the present time, he had had supreme and autocratic power. At a later sitting, the chairman (Mr. Frank Lee) said tho Committee had given rather unusual consideration to all sides of the inquiry because of the importance of tho religious interests involved, and they wished to express their thanks to counsel ajid witnesses on both sides for tho restrained way in which the -case had been conducted. Tho preamble of tho Bill was proved in so far as it provided for the election of tho General by the High Council and for the vesting of the property of tho Army in a trustee-custodian company, but, in regard to the latter, under "such conditions as were set out in a new clause which had been submitted or by agreement which would ensure that the trustee company could not be wound up except by the consent of tht Court. The Committee were hopeful that agreement could be arrived at between the parties on those linos, and it was for that reason that they gave time for consultation. The Committee had been greatly impressed and were strongly in accord with the view which was put forward by both sides as to the undesirability of the -continuance of tho proceedings before Parliament. They also felt that tho fixing of the. retiring age of tho General and the setting up of an arbitration committee as between the General and his officers could be more suitably dealt with within the existing organisation of the Army.

Counsel for petitioners against tho Bill then intimated that they would take no part in the discussion of Hie clauses.

The Committee then adjourned, and met later for the adjustment of clauses. The Bill wss ordered for report and third reading.