LLOYD GEORGE SPEAKS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 109, 4 November 1935, Page 9

LLOYD GEORGE SPEAKS

EXPENDITURE ON THE DOLE

ALTEENATIVE PLAN

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received November 4, 11.45 a.m.)

RUGBY, November 2.

At the invitation of the Liberal leaders, Mr. David Lloyd George last night occupied one of their three allotted broadcasts in a series arranged in connection with the General Election, and dealt with his "New Deal" proposals which were rejected some time ago by the Government and were afterwards endorsed by the "Council of Action for Peace and Reconstruction," set up under Mr. Lloyd George's leadership.

He said that since the war the British people had spent £1,200,000,000 maintaining people in idleness witl> allowances which were less than sufficient to provide all that was required for full sustenance but which even in the lifetime of the present Government had cost £460,000,000. For these gigantic sums there was nothing to show but gradual demoralisation of those out of work. Would it not have been infinitely wiser to have expended all this money in subsidising useful work? It was a sinister reflection that throughout the last five years the average number of the workless had been twice as large as during the preceding ten years.

Mr. Lloyd George then described the schemes he advocated foe expenditure on housing, educational development, road improvements, land reclamation, and other projects. Sums now spent on doles, if devoted to these useful tasks, he said, would bring wages to hungry households and transform the country.

Regarding international affairs, Mr. Lloyd George said that Ministers had gone into conference with a divided purpose and had been hopelessly outmatched by resolute and astute men. He urged the electors to vote for the candidates of any party who subscribed to the programme of the Council of Action.

Thie council has published a list of nearly 300 candidates, whose replies to its questionnaire have "fully satisfied" it. The largest number of favourable replies is from Liberal or Labour candidates, but the list includes several Conservative and Liberal National supporters of the Government.