HON. W. NASH

Grey River Argus, 15 May 1944, Page 4

HON. W. NASH

American Tributes ON EVE OF HIS RETURN. . [Aust. & N.Z. Press Assn.l (Rec. 11.10) NEW YORK. May 14. Tributes from American political leaders were read at a luncheon in honour of Mr. Walter Nash who is returning in June to assume the Deputy Prime Ministership .of New Zealand. The Mayor of New York, Mr. La ( Guardia, complimented Mr. Nash on his share in establishing a' united Labour Party in New Zealand, and hoped that a similar condition might prevail i nthe United States. Mr. Nash said that the principles embodied in the “Four Freedoms” and the 1.L.0. Conference must be applied clearly, not only fnside each country, but internationally. “That must be so, because the peace we are aiming to build, and the freedom we are striving to secure, are not peace or freedom for any one country, or any one people, but a peace m which all may ' participate, a freedom in which everybody has an equal share.” Tributes to Mr. Nash came from the Vice President (Mr. Wallace), Miss Frances Perkins (Secretary for Labour), Mr. Ikes, Mr. William Green (A.F.L'. President), Mr. Philip Murray, (1.L.0.') President). Senator Wagner, Representative V.oorhis, and Judge Arnold, of the United States Circuit Court of Appeals. Hon. W. Nash, in his closing address to the 1.L.0. Conference, said: “The Philadelphia Charter will go down in history as the greatest social charter vet published. It does more than reiterate aims. It emphasises things, yet to be done before the ideals for which the war is being fought will be achieved. It sounds like the deathknell of poverty, but it will not be worth the paper on which it is printed unless positive action is taken to assure that its principles are acted upon.” Mr. Nash called on the members to establish freedom in the fullest, widest meaning for all men and women everywhere. He added: “The first step is to abolish unemployment, and it can be abolished if the peoples want it.”

The 1.L.0. Conference adjourned after adopting: unanimously social provisions suggested bv the United States for inclusion in the peace treatv, including an Australian amendment, providing for an international conference in the near future on domestic problems, employment and unemployment. ’The conference also resolved to bring the earliest economic and social help to occupied countries. Delegates from twenty-four of the countries attending the 1.L.0. Conference signed a document which has been released through a Jewish labour committee. It asked that the United Nations establish free, ports as a temporary haven for Jewish, aud non -Jewi sh victims oLthe Nazis.