LABOUR POLITICIANS ANNOYED— Churchill's Speech Draws Invective From Leaders

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 February 1950, Page 5

LABOUR POLITICIANS ANNOYED— Churchill's Speech Draws Invective From Leaders

LONDON, February 15 (Rec. 11 a.m.)—The Prime Minister, Mr Attlee, said at Lincoln today that Mr Churchill’s proposal for discussions with Russia on atom control was a matter in the hands of the United Nations.” He added: “It is all a very difficult subject and I cannot make any further pronouncement on it until I have talked the matter over with the Foreign Secretary. Whether there will be any use in making another approach is a matter for consideration. Ido not rule out the suggestion which has been made by Mr Churchill, but at present it rests with the United Nations.”

Mr Attlee added that he took action almost as soon as he became Prime Minister. “I went across and saw the Americans and Canadians on it. Thereafter we have been unceasingly endeavouring to bring the whole thing under the control of the United. Nations.

The Foreign Secretary, Mr Ernest Bevin, told his constituents in East Woolwich, London, that in his job he was going to try no stunts of any kind.. He was going straight through with “steady, thorough methods of negotiation.” He added: “I am going to continue building up agreements between those who will agree, keeping my eye on the necessities of others and doing what I think right at the moment.”

• Slip Stafford Cripps,' speaking. = atEdinburgh, attacked Mr Churchill for his speech last night. Sir Stafford expressed regret that “the person' whom-' I admired for his wartime leadership and, indeed, his friendship, should sink to quite this level of guttersnipe politics.” . He added: “I have been expecting him to break out into this sort of blustering and irresponsible vulgarity, which he apparently mistakes for reasoned argument. It all strikes me as slightly pathetic, but then the “old man” has never had the slightest appreciation of peace-time economies.”

After referring to the latest. Treas-: ury returns which, he said,, showed a total surplus to date of £972,000,000, Sir Stafford ridiculed the statement by Mr Churchill that “the Government has brought the country to the verge of bankruptcy.” He commented: “That’s the sort of ridiculous charge the Leader of the Opposition is throwing about, careless of the result on the country’s credit, if only he can damage his political opponents.” t, T A 4.U.1 In a speech at Lincoln, Mr Attlee said: “Mr Churchill does not really mind whether the people are Liberals or Conservatives, as long as they are Churchillians. I know no one who is more loyal to the party to which he is attached for the time being than Mr Churchill.”