Labour and Defence

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIII, Issue 199, 8 August 1923, Page 5

Labour and Defence

Social Democrats’ Policy NEGATIVE PACIFICISM CONDEMNED. UNIVERSAL TRAINING DEMANDED. [By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received 8. 12.30 p.m.) London, Aug. 7. The Social Democratic Federation conference, with a few dissentients, passed the following resolution : — “That national defence is among the most important problems which Labour will be called upon to deal with upon its advent to power, and we therefore urge the Socialist and Labour parties to give early and adequate attention to the subject. The conference views with apprehension the tendency in certain quarters to oppose the existing evils of capitalism, militarism and war. a mere policy of negative pacificism and sentimental drift. The conference demands the establishment of a democratic force for national defence purposes alone to replace the present professional standing army, and demands the universal military training of all citizens and the suppression of production of armaments by private enterprise. substituting national ownership and control of all armament-producing industries.” Mr. Moore Bell, tho mover, said that they were not jingoes, but were not prepared to see their constitutional heritage thrown away. The nearer Labour came to power the nearer they came to responsibility for national defence and the maintenance of the people’s institutions. Mr. Adolf Smith said that in a social democratic state no citizen could be expected, from obligation, to defend the nation’s rights. Mr. Dan Irving, M.P., said that Labour had not faced the defence problem with honesty. It was always evading the point whether their professed pacificism meant the disbandment of all forms of military organisation, leaving the country defenceless before the armed nations of t)ie world. —(A. and N.Z.)