TRADE UNION BILL

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 6 May 1927, Page 5

TRADE UNION BILL

LAST YEAR’S STRIKE.

MANDATE FOR MEASURE.

PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. LONDON, May 4. In the debate on the Trade Union Bill, the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon- ■ Stanley Baldwin, said that since 1906 there bad been a great change in the attitude of the trade unions—a change from industrial to political action. Sue-* cessive governments had entrusted the trade unions with certain work connected with social legislation. Side by side with, this the development of the unions had come gradually under the control of what was called the minority movement. Air. J. Bromley (Labour) challenged Air. Baldwin to cite a single such union.

Air. Baldwin said he was not going to quote names, but would not withdraw.

Air. T Williams (Labour) declared that Air. Baldwin’s statement, reflecting on large organisations of some half million members, was transparently untrue.

While the Speaker was endeavouring to restore order several Labour members rose and interjected. Air. J. Beckett (Labour), addressing Air. Baldwin, said: “Admit you are a liar.” (Cries of “Name him!” and “Withdraw.”) Air Beckett refused to withdraw, declaring: 'T hope you will name the iiar as well.”

Air. Winston Churchill moved the suspension of Air. Beckett, which was carried by 321 votes to 88.

Air. Beckett, as he left the House, shouted: ‘‘l will go outside and tell the country what our front bench has been doing.” Mr. Baldwin, resuming, said he had received Labour demands in the name of the unions to which he had referred. From his experience of last year the Miners’ Federation was under the control of the minority movement. The record of the Government showed that they had been pacifists, and the Labourites had been militarists AVlien he came into office in 1924 he had no intention of introducing trade union legislation. Air. Baldwin declared that AlacQuisten’s Bill of 1924, dealing with the political levy, was withdrawn at his suggestion, on the ground that he did not desire to he responsible for firing the first shot. Since then the Government, for the sake of peace, had changed its mind on the question of the subsidy, which exposed them to a charge of cowardice, of not knowing their own minds, and of wasting the country’s resources. “I believe if democracy were given time to reflect it would refrain from creating a grave situation by the declaration of a general, strike,” he said. “Unfortunately the general strike lias only been postponed. My view is that when the general strike was declared the extremists in the Labour Party got their way. I recognise that many of the leaders accepted it merely to keep a united front. But the unity was only apparent; there was a fissure through the whole edifice Concluding his speech, Air. Baldwin said: “Air. dynes charged us with trying to split the trade union movement. I think the movement is splitting itself. I am asked: ‘What is the mandate for this Bill ?’ My reply is: ‘Our mandate is the events of last year.’ I was pressed to pass the Bill during the strike, and: again immediately afterwards. I declined, because the chances were that the Bill would then have bee* of a most vindictive kind. “The Labour members speak as though they exclusively represented the workers, but we have more workers supporters than they. We intend that a general strike shall be illegal; that intimidation shall be illegal; that compulsion to subscribe to political funds shall be illegal.” , ' Amid further interruption Air. Baldwin concluded: “I believe the Bill will commend itself to the country. If Labour cares to make its repeal the issue at the next election the Government will meet them with confidence.” Air. Tom Shaw (Labour) said that Air. Baldwin sought assistance to elucidate the Bill, but did not help them to understand it. The real reason for the Bill was not the general strike, but the growth of the Labour Party. What had the general strike to do with the political levy? The debate was then adjourned. The division is expected on Thursday, Mr. Lloyd George and Air J. H. Thomas have spoken.