LABOR CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 16515, 29 August 1917, Page 3

LABOR CONFERENCE

FROM ENTENTE GOUNTRIES. SOCIALIST PACIFIST PROPOSALS, CONTRADICTORY AND UNIQUE. LONDON, August 28. The Inter-Allied Labor Conference at Westminster to-day and to-morrow is arousing interest. It i 3 noteworthy that the British Socialist party raid the Independent Labor party will be represented by delegations out of all proportion to their numbers and influence. Tho comparative weakness of the Socialists is well known in Britain, but the Continental Socialists consider that the Socialists are representative of labor opinion in Britain, believing that the majority of the Laborites are reactionary and are controlled by the Government. Hence there is a possibility that the French, Belgian, Italian, and Russian delegates will be mystified and misled. Some of the Pacifist proposals are of an amazing character. Thus far the proposals include one that the future of Alsace and Lorraine should be referred to the decision of a referendum of the people of the two provinces, on the ground that neithor Germany nor France has the right to decide the question. The British Socialist party propose that the peoples of India, Egypt, Ireland, and Algiers should be free to decide their own course. A proposal relating to indemnities says there is a common responsibility for the war, and therefore the proposal to throw the cost of reparation on one Power must be abandoned. Reparation must be from a common fund for internal control. While there must be- recompense for loss and damage to property, the administrators of compensation must also accord the working class an equal title to reparation. The Pacifist proposals regarding the colonies say that the conference hold that the peace of the world cannot be preserved if one great Power is debarred from colonial rights. A curious episode is that a memorandum has been prepared for the conference welcoming American intervention, ou the ground of old and new worlds uniting in the defence of democracy. The Independent Laborites, however, propose to delete these references to the United States.

The delegates include 11. Thomas (French Minister of Munitions), M. Renaudel (editor of the ' Shumanite '), Jean Longuet (Karl Marx's grandson). M. Vandervelde (Belgian), M. Ronssanoff (a Russian revolutionary exile). The resolutions will be discussed privately, and only the voting will be issued. UNITED STATES EXPORT RESTRICTIONS. WASHINGTON. August 28. President "Wilson has issued a proclamation extending export control to all articles. He says that domestic needs must first be met, and he will afterwards sanction exports to neutrals, providing the enemy do not benefit directly or indirectly. SOLDIERS' INTERESTS. [From Oun Paeliamextaiit Reporter.] WELLINGTON. August 29. Several questions concerning soldiers' interests and military affairs were asked without previous notice in the Hou.se yesturduv, and replied to by the -Minister of Defence. Mr Poole asked if it were true that returned soldiers had been discharged immediately on arrival in New Zealand.— Sir James Allen: What I stated before was absolutely correct. No man •is immediately discharged. On the. arrival of aship a man first gets a week's leave, and then three weeks' leave on full pay." No man is discharged within a month! Mr Nosworthy asked if tho Minister would make a definite- statement respecting the, position of C*2 men who were in solo chants of farms. Were they Ho be left o?t the farm or taken to camp? It was practically impossible- to get men for agricultural farms. What was to be clone about it? Wore farms, to bo neglected?— The Minister replied that agricultural industries had been declared as most essential industries.--An Hon. Member: "Who bv?"—Sir Jnmes AUrn : " Bv the National Efficient Hoard." f Laughter.) The Minister went on to explain" that the board's classification ot industries had been out to the military service boards, whose members had also been advised, both by letter and in conference, that it was not wished by the Government that any farms should be left unworked. If there was only one man left on tho farm, and he could not be replaced, then the board had bew advised to leave that man in care of the farm. Doubtless in such cases the appeals would be allowed. Of course, if a. man could be replaced, he would have to go into camp. Dr Thacker asked if the Minister would arrange that military medical officers with camp experience should be sent to different centres to examine men who bad been declared unfit, and that civil doctors should take on camp d'utv to obtain proper military experience. lie explained that he asked the question because there were a iramber of men coming up to camrj from the South Island by order who never should have been called away from their farms, particularly in the springtime of the year.—Tho Minister, in reply, said: That policy has boen pursued for some time past. Members of military medical boards had been drawn into camp to get experience, and medical officers in- camp had been, attached temporarily medical board. That routine would be carried on. Ho again explained the arrangements made for special training at Featherston, aad mentioned fctat tho Special Medical Board, who would re-examine 03 men, would travel -to the large centres to carry out the re-examination of selected men.

Mr Okey asked if the Minister would make •» statement as to the Government's intentions about making: provision for members of the Second Division. It had been suggested that many of them would be deterred from subscribing to the War Loan through lack of knowledge of what womd bo done for their families if they w«re called up for service.—Sir .Jarnes Allen: " T cannot make a statement today. I hope to make it within a week get "tea- .daxi-*

MAORIS AT THE FRONT. APPLiaA.TION~TO RETURN ON, FURLOUGH. [From Que Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON. August 29. In view of the fact that there is a prospect of the conscripting of Maoris for active service, there is special interest in the request made in the House yesterday by the Hon. A. T. Ngata, who asked if the main body and the 2nd Reinforcements of Native contingents would be allowed to return at the one time. He made the suggestion to assist the Minister in recruiting. Would it bo possible to reliove Major Buck, to enable him to return with the Maori Contingent? Sir James Allen replied that, in regard to the 2nd Maori Reinforcements, they must take their turn. The main Maori body would get their cli&nce to 1-e'turn with the 250 that were to come back every month. It would scarcely be fair to the Europeans to allow the Maoris to come back together at the ono time. He would, however, communicate with the general officer commanding. He would take a similar course in respect to tlio request to relieve Major Buck. PORT CHALMERS PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION. The following articles were forwarded last week to the Early Settlers' Hall, Dunedin:—l2 flannel shirts, 6 day shirts, 6 anti-vermin shirts, 18 tea towels. The following donors are thanked: —Work: Mesdames J. Mom-son (South Dunedih), Patton, D. Anderson, W. Perry, Spence, Lawrence, Illingwcrth, Hodges, R. Thorneon, Eraser, Da Costa, Higliot, Harrison, Albertson, Tewsley, Misses M'onson, Schnack. Craigie. Money: Lady Liver : pool fund—Mrs Coleman; patriotic fund— Miss Innes: Dominion parcels—Mrs Cook (St. Leonards), Mrs J. Watson, "Friend." Christmas parcels—Mrs J. Watson ; per Miss Schnack —Mesdames Ritchie, Schnack, M'Haffie. Forgio (Purakanui), M'Ewen, Shaw, Facer, Coi'dock, Beagley, Driver (Purakanui), Moore, Moate (Purakanui), ''l-lolden. Livingstone, M'Pherson, Campbell, Mill, V. Watson, Sini clair, Schnack, L. Thomson, O. Harrison, I Turner, Parfit. Powell. B. M-Kenzie. M'Kinlay, L. M'Callum. Seventh Standard ! pupils, ""Friend," "Friend," "Friend," "Girls," "8.W.," Me#ws Mill, Connolley, Schnack, M'Kay, M'Gregor, M-liaughlin, J. Campbell, H.* Watson, (J. Stevenson, A./ Robertson, Wilmott, S. Smith, R. M'A. Johnston, Fisher (S. Bay), Mawson, C Smith, D. Mair, Justice, five seamen, Sergeant Douqan, Sergeant-major Williamson, Sergeant Johnstone. MACAULAY ON REPRISALS. Lord Maeaulay, tho historian, was a believer in the reprisals policy. Immediately after the massacre of the British, at Delhi he wrote in his diary : " With what horror I used to read in L-ivy how Fulvius put to death the whole Capuan Senate in the Second Punio War. And with what equanimity I could hear that the whole garrison of Delhi, all the Moulavies and Mussul- '< man doctors there, and aTI the rabble of . tho bazaar had been treated in tho same | way! Is this.wrong? Is not the severity which springs from a great sensibility to human suffering a better thing than the lenity which springs from indifference to human suffering? The question may be argued long on both sides." ANDERSON BAY RED CROSS. Tho weeldy meeting was lteld on Tuesday, and there was a good attendance. A quantity of finished work was brought in and a satisfactory amount given out. The following are thanked for donations: Mr? North (caps and cuffs), Mrs Dickison (focks), "A Friend" (money), Mrs LeeSmith, sen. (cuffs). The district collection, amounting to £1 7s 6d was handed in.

FAILURE TO ENROL: THREE MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT. In the Magistrate's Court at Christchurch yesterday, Reginald Raymond Smith, a bootmaker, aged 23 years, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment for failing to enrol under • tho Military Seivice -Act. Sab-inspector Mullany said the case was a very bad one, for the accused was the most persistent shirker lie had had to deal with." Ho had steadfastly evaded having his name recorded. With a view to esaping enrolment lie had been dodging about f rom C'hirstchurch to Oamaru, back again, and to many different place's, and he had been arersted only that day. MUST, AND SHALL WIN. MESSAGE FROM GENERAL SMUTS. The following message (tays a secent cable to the Australian Press) has been acdrtMsed t.> the Oversea Dominions by General Smuts, who is now a member of the British War Cabinet : More and more the inward meaning oT the word war appears to bo that perhaps ih is tho last and greatest straggle for human liberty, in which *lio free democracies of the "world uve ranged in deadly conflict against the last and greatest of the autocracies. We must and shall win, however long and bitter the struggle. I huve no doubt how it, will end, if wo are but worthy of the causes for which wo are fighting. To the young nation* of our Imperial Commonwealth, who have been nurtured on tho milk of liberty and know the blessings of free institutions, 1 woul.l especially appeal. Let them forget all smali issues, and prove themselves worthy champions in this tho greatest cnuado of history.