LABOUR AND GREECE

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 December 1944, Page 5

LABOUR AND GREECE

CONFERENCE DISCUSSION

“PROTEST” RESOLUTION

LONDON, December 13. The Executive Committee of the Labour Party is bringing forward to the Conference to-day an emergency resolution on the events in Greece. Mr. Greenwood will move: “That the Conference deeply regrets the tragic situation which has arisen in Greece, and calls on the British Government most urgently to take all necessary steps to facilitate an armistice without delay, and to secure a resumption of conversations among all sections of the people who resisted Fascist and Nazi invaders, with a view to establishing a Provisional National Government, which would proceed to a free, fair general election as soon as practicable, in order that the Greek people may express their will. This Conference looks forward to the establishment of a strong democratic system, bringing peace, happiness, and reconciliation to our generous heroic Greek allies.” ’’ The Common Wealth and Communist Parties are holding a joint rally in London on Sunday to demand an end to British armed intervention in Greece and also the withdrawal of the veto on a Greek Left Coalition Government, and the recall of Ambassador Leeper. Sir Richard Acland (Common Wealth Party) said his postbag on Greece was one of the largest he had received in months. There seemed a spontaneous feeling of disgust and horror everywhere. TASK LEFT TO BRITAIN. (Rec. 11.20) LONDON, Dec. 13. Mr. Greenwood, moving the emergency resolution on Greece at the Labour Party conference said: “If we act wisely, generously and humanely in the treatment of liberated peoples, in the spirit of the high aims in which we entered the war, I believe we shall win a final spiritual victory over the forces of Fascism. The test case to-day is the case of Greece Mr. Greenwood described the present situation in Greece as horrifying, appalling and dangerous. He contended that an armistice should be declared and discussion started among all sections of the Greek people. All armed bands should be disarmed. “Military measures will never settle this problem. It is a problem for statesmanship, and the responsibility ought to lie on the shoulders .of the British Government. Delegates may turn this debate into chastisement of Mr. Churchill. I prefer it kept on the level of an attempt to champion the cause of the Greek people and their future.” Seconding the resolution Mr. Marshall said that Mr. Churchill s Parliamentary speech on December 8 was unnecessarily truculent. Mr. Churchill to score clever points against possible opponents neglected to state the case fully. Mr. Edens statement, however, convinced the majority of Commoners that whoever was responsible for the . matter it was not the British military in Greece. The General Secretary of the National Union of Railwaymen (Mr. JBcnstead) criticising the resolution said: “Labour will not always be satisfied with milk and water resolutions. Labour promised m .1940 to stand loyally behind Mr. Bevin. We shall do so to the bitter end, but we cannot be hamstrung all the time. That is a negation of democracy inside our own movements. Why should Britain do all the worlds dirty work? Why has there not been complete agreement between Britain. America and Russia in this matter. STORMY SCENES. After a sharp passage between the chairman (Professor H. Laski) and Mr. Hadden Guest. M.P., leading at times to uproar, a lively scene developed when a delegate asked that the Standing Orders Committee should consider the possibility of extending the range and scope of the resolution and the discussion. . Professor Laski said ne could not allow it, as there had been a full discussion. The uproar followed and another delegate moved the suspension of the standing orders to allow the debate to continue. Delegates were now shouting all over the hall, but Professor Laski firmly refused to take the motion. _ , . Mr. J. Griffiths M.P., replying to the debate on behalf of the Executive, said that most of the speakers said they did not want to break up the national Government on this issue, but a vote of no confidence in tne Government would be an indication to their Labour colleagues to leave the Government forthwith. By 2,455,000 votes to 137,000 die Executive Committee’s resolution was carried. . . The Conference also carried a resolution expressing admiration for the Resistance Movement, adding: lhe conference demands that the Government give an immediate pledge that as territories are cleared of the enemy the administration shall be left to democratic control of their own inhabitants, with no attempts at interference or dictation from outside forces.”

MR. BEVIN’S STATEMENT. (Rec. 12.40 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 13. At the Labour Party conference the Minister of Labour (Mr. Bevin) said he was a party to the Cabinet decisions on Greece and could not bring it to his conscience that they were wrong. The steps _ taken in Greece were not the decision of Mr. Churchill. They were the decision of the Cabinet. “The stability of Greece is vital to the stability and ultimate settlement of the Balkans as a whole. In view of what has happened in Greece personally , I shall reconsider my position in the Cabinet*, as to the first steps that shall be taken when we enter other people’s territory in order to get stability and feed the people.” Mr. Aneurin Bevan said it would be deplorable if the. unanimous carrying of the resolution was regarded by the world as an endorsement of Mr. Bevin’s speech. One complete answer to Mr. Bevin was that only three bodies of public opinion in the world had gone on record in his support—Fascist Spain, Fascist Portgual. and the majority of the Tories in the Commons. The conference should go on record as condemning the Government's action and insist that our representatives inside the Government should exercise a more decisive influence on the conduct of our affairs, or leave the Tories to do their own dirty work.