BRITISH PARLIAMENT

Evening Star, Issue 23335, 3 August 1939, Page 11

BRITISH PARLIAMENT

TO ADJOURN TOMORROW WILL BE ASSEMBLED EARLIER IF OCCASION ARISES NATION READY FOR ANY EMERGENCY (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, August 2. (Received August 3, at noon.) Britain was now ready for any emergency, declared Mr Chamberlain, moving in the House of Commons the resolution providing for adjournment on Friday until October 3, with provision for earlier summoning if desirable in the public interest. He was explaining the state of parliamentary business which dictated the choice of dates and was poiriting out that by the end of the week the House would have passed all the emergency legislation which the Government has had to bring forward in view of the international situation. This emergency business had, the Premier recalled, interfered with the Government’s ordi ; nary legislative programme for the session, and for that reason they were under the necessity of calling Parliament together sooner than usual in the autumn to give time for completing that programme, which included the Criminal Justice Bill.

The Premier went on to declare, amid ironical Opposition cheers, prompted by newspaper speculation on the possibility of a General Election in November, that the date of reassembly would not only enable the programme of the present session to be completed, but would “ give us the opportunity of starting the new session well before Christmas, and enable us to make a good start with the legislation in the new programme.”

There were two reasons which might necessitate calling the House together on an earlier date. One would be if the Government felt it necessary to ask the House to pass new legislation not at present contemplated; the other would be if the Government desired to have the approval of the House for measures the Government had taken or was about to take in order to meet an unexpected situation.

Mr Chamberlain added: “We have no information at present which leads us to suppose that it will be necessary to call the House together at any particular moment in a fortnight or three weeks. If,, however, after the House has adjourned it was in our mind that circumstances hadl arisen which brought into play either of the considerations I have mentioned, we would not hesitate to use our powers accordingly.” Finally Mr Chamberlain gave an assurance to Mr Greenwood that if the Government Were contemplating any important departure from its declared policy then it would) think it right to give the House an opportunity of expressing its opinion without waiting for the date of resumption of Parliament. An amendment was moved by the Acting Opposition Leader providing that the House should reassemble on August 21. He based his case on the uncertain international situation, mentioning the Moscow negotiations, the situation at Danzig, the Anglo-Polish financial discussions, and' the position in the Far East; but he admitted that the amendment was prompted by distrust of the Government.

The Liberal Leader supported the amendment, which was also supported by Mr Churchill, who argued that the House of Commons counted abroad, and .particularly in dictator countries, as the most formidable expression of British national will and the instrument of that will in resistance to aggression.

Mr Churchill cited .proof of the choice of parliamentary recesses for a number of recent strokes by totalitarian States. Describing the critical situation as he saw it in Europe to-day, Mr Churchill asked: “ Who can doubt that there is going to he a supreme trial of will power if not a supreme trial of arms? After some debate, Mr Chamberlain replied declining to accept the amendment, and later the resolution was carried by 245 votes to 129. Mr Chamberlain was asked if he were aware of the hostility of the general public to a General Election while the international tension persists, and whether he would consider introducing legislation to extend the duration of the present Parliament for a further two years. Mr Chamberlain replied: “ I should not bo prepared to consider such a suggestion without some evidence of a general desire for postponement of the General Election beyond the statutory term. At present I see no evidence of this kind.” AMENDMENT DEFEATED. Mr J, 11. H. Cartland (Con., Birmingham) said Mr Chamberlain’s speech made it difficult for his to combat the impression that the Prime Minister aimed at a dictatorship, wthin months. “We may fight and die,” he said, “ yet we cannot understand why Mr Chamberlain has not made a great gesture of national unity to show his/faith in democratic institutions.” Sir P. J. H. Hannon jumped up on behalf of other Birmingham members and apologised for Mr Cartland’s language. Mr Chamberlain demanded that the vote be treated as one of confidence. He said all Mr Winston Churchill’s arguments were based on the theory that if Parliament were sitting danger would be minimised. Yet Vienna and Prague were occupied during the session. Mr Greenwood’s amendment had no basis except distrust. The Prime Minister said; “ I confidently expect my friends to reject it.” The amendment was defeated hy 250 votes to 132,