TRADES UNION BILL

Evening Star, Issue 19549, 6 May 1927, Page 10

TRADES UNION BILL

DEBATE CONTINUED SIR J. SIMON'S CRITICISM LABOR MEMBER SUSPENDED. Press Association—By • Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, May 4. (Received May 5, at, 1.20 p.m.) In the House of Commons, resuming the debate ou the Trades Union Bill, Sir John Simon (Liberal/ said : “As to the four objects- of the Bill outlined by Sir Douglas Hogg, if everything ; is what he claims for it, the country - will find it impossible to resist such objects.” He regretted that the Labqrites had announced their intention' to. repeal the measure, because this precluded them from amending no .Bill. i/emauumg Labor's .'dispassionate cousiueratiuji, ne asixea tiiat cue House must oj.amine mo meuxou auu uie language witn wnicii tne uovenimenc sought to carry out its praisewortny intentions, rruiu the woiumg oi. tno urst clause aeaiuig witu general strines it was -ouvious cuat a great ueai of. complication ana misunderstanding were uou-nu to arise. j.e tailed to uuaerstand how anyone limiting Uie clause am not realise that ipciikiuts, should boducluded as well as strikes.'. The ..whole 'clause was tugniy ambiguous and lull 01. vague expressions, which it would be uiuair to ask magistrates to demie. in reference to intimidation, there was need lor a clear definition of the exact ngfits oi picketing, but it would be a grave injury to their national reputation if they did not remember lor ever the reasonable spirit of orderliness of, the men themselves —the feature of the general strike which had impressed the whole world. Ho thought that it would have been an immense national advantage if the Liiborites had made a' really’ l effective and collective:'repudiation ’of : what had happened.: Instead, there had been spasmodic Labor contentions that last year’s stoppage was not a general strike. If the British people thought that under the present law it was : legitimate for employers or workers to combine to 'sunstitute the will of some outside committee for the will of Parliament, they should insist on the law being altered. It would have been far better if the Government bad introduced a oneclause Bill declaring in the simplest terms that combinations of either employers or workers to coerce the Government or Parliament constituted unlawful conspiracy. MR BALDWIN SPEAKS. The Prime Minister said that since 1906 there had been a great change in the attitude of the trade unions—a change from industrial to political action. Successive Governments had entrusted the trade unions with certain work connected with social legislation. Side by side with this development some unions had come gradually; under the control of what was called the minority movement. Mr Bromley (Lab.) challenged Mr Baldwin to cite a single such union. Mr Baldwin said ho was not going to quote names, but ho would not withdraw the remark. Mr T. Williams (Lab.) declared that Mr Baldwin’s statement, reflecting on large organisations of some half a million members,, was transparently untrue. While the Speaker was endeavoring to restore order, several Labor members rose and interjected. Mr Beckett (Lab.), addressing Mr Baldwin, said: “Admit you are a. liar.” Cries of “Name him,” and “Withdraw!” Mr Beckett refused to withdraw, declaring: “I hope you will name the liar as well.” Mr Churchill moved the suspensionof Mr Beckett, which was carried by 321 votes to 83. Mt Beckett.; as lie left the House, shouted: “ I will go outside and tell the country what our front bench has been doing.”., Mr Baldwin. ; resuming, said lie had received Labor demands in the name of the unions to which he had referred. From .his experience last year the Miners’ Federation was under the control of the minority movement. The record of the Government showed that they had been pacifists, and that the Laborites had been militarists. When he cajne into office in 1924 he had no intention of introducing trade union legislation. Mr; MacQuisten’s Bill of 1924, dealing with the political levy, was withdrawn at his (Mr Baldwin’s) suggestion on the ground that he did not desire to he responsible for firing the first shot. Since then the Government, for the sake of peace, had changed its mind on the question of the subsidy, which had exposed them to a charge of cowardice, ol not knowing their own minds, and of wasting the country’s resources. He said; “I believe if the domorcacy is given time to reflect it wdll refrain from creating a grave situation by the declaration of a general strike. Unfortunately, the general strike was only postponed. My view is that when the general strike was declared and the extremists in the Labor Parly got their way, many of the lenders accepted it simply to keep a united front, but the unity was only apparent, and there was a fissure through the whole edifice.” ' . In concluding his speech, Mr Baldwin said: Mr Clynes has charged us with trying to split the trade union movement. I think tho movement is splitting itself. I am asked: ‘What is the mandate for this Bill? ’ My reply is: Our mandate is to be found in the events of last year. I was pressed to pass a Bill during the strike, and a train immediately afterwards. I declined, because the chances were that the Bill, would then have been of a most vindictive kind. The Labor members speak as though they exclusively represent the workers, but wo have more worker supporters than they have. We intend that a general strike shall be illegal, that intimidation shall be illegal, and that compulsion to subscribe to political funds shall be illegal.” Amid further interruptions, Mr Baldwin closed his speech in these words; “I believe the Bill will commend itself to the country. If Labor cares to make'its repeal an issue at the next election tbe Government will moot it with confidence.” Mr T. Shaw (Lab.) said that Mr Baldwin had sought assistance to elucidate the Bill, but he had not helped them to understand it. The real reason for the Bill was not the general strike, but the growth of the Labor Party. What had the general strike.to do with the political levy? The debate was adjourned. The division is expected on Thursday, after Mr Lloyd George and Mr Thomas have spoken.—A.P.A, and ‘ Sun ’ Cable.