A NEGOTIATED PEACE.

Grey River Argus, 13 October 1926, Page 5

A NEGOTIATED PEACE.

URGED AT L.P. CONFERENCE. PRESIDENT’S CRITICAL SPEECH. LONDON, October 11. The President of the British Labour Party, in his presidential address at the Party’s annual conference, said: — “The mine owners are the most ruthless and reactionary sections of employers, while individuals of Labour’s own ranks have adopted the old militarist formula that the way to assure peace is to prepare for war. We have ha<l a constant repetition from July, 1925, to April, 1926, of phrases such as ‘Got ready for May Day,’ ‘Line up our forces,’ and ‘Clear the decks for action,’ so dear to those linking up with strife, for strife’s sake, Labour think that international or industrial peace can be assured by preparing for war. We must preserve the unions’ right to strike butwe must not forget that industrial, like international, peace must be sought through conciliation. Voices will be hoard saying ‘Get ready for the next general strike,’ to which I reply, ‘Read the agreements on which work was resumed in May.’ My experience show’s it is easy to bring out men, but very difficult to secure a return on terms as satisfactory as before the strike. Socialism does not come by increasing the misery of the masses. We cannot sub-, vert or overthrow. We must supersede capitalism.’’

Mb Williams- continued: “The miners’ continuance of the struggle, though heroic, is like a sightless Samson feeling for the Temple pillars, the crashing of which might' engulf what we call British civilisation. The miners’ request for a general embargo is a despairing policy.* The embargo was ineffective in 1921. What hope of success has it in 1926? 1 say, again, look at the railway transport agreements since the strike, which show the embargo might be magnificenf7 but nowar. The whole Labour movement admires the stoical suffering and fortitude of mine workers, women and children. Were these men defending Mafeking or Ladysmith, or conducting an epft retreat from Mons, they would win the approval of the entire nation. ’ ’

Mr Williams adds: “All the religious denominations applaud the Primate’s righteous appeal. Mr Baldwin and his economical and political dictator, Mr Evan Williams, may sneer and) jeer at princes and prelates, but the latter was voicing the desires of all British people in demanding a negotiated peace. Conservatives desire to interfere with the long-established inalienable rights of trades unions. They failed before and will fail again. The Scarborough Conservative Conference ignored the economic situation in Britain. Our coal exports have ceased. Tramp steamers did not carry outward cargoes, but were carrying coals t’. Newcastle instead. The principal industries were working short time, blastfurnaces were, damped, railways were forced to have restricted-services, imports overwhelmingly exceed exports, vet the Conservatives - are worrying about getting an extension of drinking hours for clubs.