LABOUR CONFERENCE

Evening Post, Issue 86, 8 October 1936, Page 9

LABOUR CONFERENCE

AFFILIATION OF COMMUNISTS

OPPOSED

SPANIARDS' APPEAL

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received October 8, 11 a.m.) LONDON, October 7. There was an uproarious beginning to the Labour Conference today, the chairman (Mrs. Adamson) announcing curtailment of the discussions on the motion to permit Communists to affiliate in order to allow the Spanish delegates to address the conference. Pandemonium broke out, but the closure was applied. Mr. Rhys Davies, M.P., opposing affiliation, said: "For every Communist gained we shall lose scores of workingclass Socialists. It is to be hoped, once and for all, that we will tell Russians, Germans, and Italians that we are capable of deciding what political institutions we want." Affiliation was rejected by 1,728,000 votes to 592,000. MONEY FOR ARMS. Senor-Asua, the Spanish envoy, said: "We are fighting against tanks and guns-with sticks and knives. Help us to buy arms somewhere. We can pay." Senorita de Palencia, speaking in English, said she was of Scottish descent and a Catholic. There would be absolute liberty for the Catholic Church when the Government forces won. Stories and pictures of atrocities were untrue, but she did not deny that there was violence on both sides. This was inevitable in a civil war.

The delegates rose and sang the "Red Flag" and chered, and proceeded to discuss party affairs.