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Gisborne Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6321, 25 February 1922, Page 5

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BIRKENHEAD DEFENDS COALI-

Tl’ON

DISSO LUTION THE COUNSEL OF

.INSANITY

MENACE OF LABOR

(United Press Association—Copyright.) (Received Feb. 24, 11 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 24. The position regarding the general election is obscure. The frequent and recent rumours of Mi' Lloyd George’s resignation add interest to the important lighting speech by Lord Birkenhead at the Junior Constitutional Club. The Chancellor vehemently defended the Coalition. In the three years after the Armistice the nation had stood beacon-like in an unstable, faltering world, showing that in Europe there was one people who had confidence in their Government. The demand for dissolution of the Coalition is the counsel of insanity. The great leaders outside the Government, Mr Bonar aw, Lord Derby, and Lord Devonshire agreed with this. Referring to the Prime Minister, Lord Birkenhead said : I think it is extremely unlikely that statesmen of world-wide reputation like Mr Lloyd George will submit indefinitely to the kind of humility and criticism to which he is_ now exposed. There is not the slightest chance in the existin'* conditions of an Independent Unionist Government obtaining an adequate majority in the country. Tiie Independent Liberals do not count, hut there is the great menace of the Labor party, which is winning seats dally"and will continue to win seats until they are Deed by a body with a coherent, intelligent dictrine expressed bv courageous men who "understand their own minds. The Minister for Labor has circularised the principal Employers’ Associations and 1 rude Onions drawing attention to the possibility of placing unemployment insurance on a basis of insurance bv industry. He asks the industries' to think out methods of dealing with unemployment in their trades. Sir Eric Geddes has resigned from the Commons. He does not desire a political career.

HOW TO SAVE EUROPE

LORD BIRKENHEAD’S APPEAL

Lord Birkenhead, the Lord Chancellor, made a remarkable speech to the National Association of Manufacturers.

“The great events which have happened at Washington I feci justified characterising as the most amazing events in the world’s history,” he said.

“If yen throw your minds hack for a short time, when we were discussing a peace which was to end war. we were confronted with the risk—almost with the certainty—that the wealthiest Power in the world was bent upon building a navy the like of which had never before been seen in the history of the world. That in itself was a menace to the fortunes of this country. Indeed, I might say without exaggeration that it would threaten the fundamental conditions upon which the future of this country depended.

A VANISHED MENACE

“But in a moment that menace disappears; America has receded from her expressed intention; she has proposed to us, to Japan, and to the rest of the world a scheme c.f maritime policy which is consistent with the security of every one of rs. “If to this we can add the settlement of the hitter and bloody conflict which has raged for centuries between this country and Ireland, then, indeed, we may begin to apply ourselves with some degree cf hope to the other great problems which lie before us, and at last we may begin to enjoy the fruits of the victory we have won. and to envisage a world in which we may all resume our occupations of peaceful intercourse between the nations.

“With these matters carried to a triumphant conclusion, we may icok forward to generations, and perhaps to centuries, in which this old Empire may still remain one of the greatest powers of the world. “I do not commend myself as an authority on finance, but I may be allowed to refer to the complete bankruptcy of all our financiers and our professors cf political economy. “The fact that they bare been able to give us so little advice during these trying times staggers, amazes, and humiliates me. For the payment cf reparations by our late enemies upon anything like the scale contemplated and recommended by high financial authority is impossible, and cannot be done.

“The real truth is that the whole world lias gradually come to realise that these immense debts are not in ’fact recoverable. “And if I were arranging the affairs of the world I should say to Germany: ‘You must make good all the devastations of France and Bob giuni both in labor and in materials.' “It would be worth more than the trials of all the German criminals—although something lias been done in that direction —if we could say that what German guns had destroyed should be made good by German goods and German money. “Therefore, speaking for myself. I say that the time lias come when we must cease to be guided by preconceived pledges: I say that our most urgent duty is to re-create Europe. “It may he a very good thing to make your enemy pay for the damage ho has committed, .but it- does not pay if you starve your own people in making him do it. IT CAN BE DONE.

“It is for us to gather up the salvage of Europe, and in order to do that *vou must come to an arrangement with France and with Germany. And you must also come to an arrangement with Russia as well. “But all these matters could be arranged as the result of an agreement between France, Germany, and ourselves. And I state emphatically that the time lias come for such an agreement. "“We hare won glory enough ior ourselves to last us and our sons, and our sons’ sons for ages to come.”