TRADE UNION LEVY BILL

Evening Star, Issue 18885, 9 March 1925, Page 5

TRADE UNION LEVY BILL

MR BALDWIN SUBMITS AMENDMENT CARRIED BY COMMONS Press Association—By Telegraph-Copyright. LONDON, March 7. The House -of Commons rejected Mr F. A. MacQuisten’s Trade Union Political Levy' Bill, and carried by 325 votes to 153 an amendment by Mr Baldwin approving of the principle of political liberty embodied in the Bill, but expressing the opinion that a measure of such far-reach-ing importance should not be introduced' as a private members’ Bill. The House -was unusually crowded for a Friday for the debate. There was a full attendance of Labor members. Mr Baldwin said that, while the Conservatives believed the Bill was just, they were not going to push their political advantage home at present, because they stood for peace in the country and the abolition of suspicion. The Liberals supported the Government amendment, which the supporters of the Bill accepted.—Reuter.

PEACE IN INDUSTRY MR BALDWIN’S APPEAL. LONDON, March 6. Mr Baldwin’s speech on the Levy Bill deeply impressed the House of Commons. Do pointed out that social development was more rapid than most onlookers realised. The great forces of the employers and of the employees, on. whom the' next stage of the industrial civilisation depended, carried a high responsibility. Both 'must be, directed by men with right heads and hearts, Whatever form the evolution was taking, it must be in the direction of making closer partners. If the terms of partnership could not be laid down by statute, he want’d to see at the head of both, sides men knowing exactly where (he shoe pinched, and actuated by a desire to steer their respective ships side by side, instead of stewing for head-on collisions. The Conservatives believed in the justice of the Bill, but they did not intend pushing a political advantage at a moment when poison was preventing stability both here and abroad. They would not lire the first shot, but stood for peace, the removal uf sa-'picion, the creation of a new atmosphere, and a, new age in which the people would come together. They might be c Jhd cowards, but he was confident that their desire for peace would be re-echoed, and that theie were many in all parties who would reecho his prayer. “ Give peace in our time, 0 Lord I” Subsequent speakers belonging to all parties paid tribute to Mr Baldwin’s eloquent appeal.—A.- and N.Z. Cable. MR BALDWIN’S EMOTION, A STARTLED HOUSE. LONDON, March 7. (Received March 9, at 1.30 a.m.) The newspapers comment on Mr Baldwin’s remarkable speech. The ‘ Daily Express ’ says that he rather breathed than spoke the final prayer. So great was his emotion that ho sank back in bis seat. The crowded House was silent, amazed, and impressed, because the character of the speech was.wholly unexpected. It invested the House with an atmosphere akin to that of a Gipsy Smith revival meeting.—A. and N.Z. Cable.