BRITISH CABINET

Grey River Argus, 23 September 1932, Page 6

BRITISH CABINET

SPLIT OVER OTTAWA Tory Press Fears FOR THE GOVERNMENT. (Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn). (Received September 22 at 910 p.m.) LONDON, September 22. In the absence of any definite declaration before the Cabinet meets, the prospect of the Liberal Ministers secessions is being much discussed in the press. The newest development is strong editorial appeals to the Liberals not to split the National Government in both the “Daily Telegraph” and the “Daily Mail.” The “Daily Mail’’ says: The resignations of the Liberal Ministers would be taken abroad as a sign of disunity among the parties which gave the Government its strength, and would tend to weaken our influence in Europe at this critical moment.” RESIGNATIONS' EXPECTED. (Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn). LONDON, September 21. The “Daily Mail” declares that Lord Snowden. Sir 11. Samuel, Sir A. Sinclair, Mr Foot, and a number of Under-Secretaries are determined to resign from the Cabinet in consequence of the Ottawa Conference agreements. The “Manchester Guardian” editorially discussing Ottawa and Mr Foot’s speech, said: “The Liberal Ministers cut a sorry figure.” The paper invites them to leave the Government, and sit on the Opposition benches, to support or attack the Government, according to the merit of its legislation. Any other form of national unity would be dearly bought, it says, at the price of making a farce of Cabinet. The National Liberal Federation meeting, widely regarded as the first step to the termination of the free traders’ connection with the Government, considered the policy aspect of the Ottawa agreements. Mr Ramsay Muir presided. Sir 11. Samuel announced that he could not indicate the Liberal Ministers’ attitude until Cabinet met on September 28. The Executive condemned the Ottawa proposals as unduly surrendering the rights of the British Parliament, limiting Britain’s power to conduct international trade negotiations, burdening the people regarding the price of foodstuffs, nullifying the value of Dominion concessions, and provoking inter-imperial bickerings, wherefore the executive urged the Government, Parliament and electors to oppose the dangerous vicious principles of the Ottawa agreements to the utmost.