AFTER THE DEBACLE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXI, Issue 303, 7 December 1931, Page 5

AFTER THE DEBACLE

DESTINY OF THE FALLEN BRITISH LABOUR PARTY. DEFEATED MEMBERS’ FUTURE. iVliat is to become of the Labour Cabinet Ministers and others who lately held paid Government posts and who have now vanished from the House of Commons? asks a London newspaper. Mr. Arthur Henderson, Mr. J. R. dynes, Mr. Tom Shaw, Mr. Wedgwood Benn and Mr. William Graham die.w £5OOO a year each. Mr. A. V. Alexander, as First Lord of the Admiralty, received £4500 and others like Dr. Addison, Mr. Arthur Greenwood, Miss Margaret Bondfield, Mr. Herbert Morrison, Mr. F. O. Roberts, Mr. H. B. Lees-Smith and Mr. Pethick-Lawrence drew £2OOO or £2500 a year. Nothing more essentially dramatic, has happened in our public life for a generation than the rise to power of men of humble beginnings, and now their swift eclipse. The remark is almost equally applicable to rank and filo M.P.’s now defeated. The old House of Commons contained a barber, piano tuner, miners' agents, a draper, a bookbinder, two cartoonists, a tailor, clerks, carpenters, a jute weaver, a boot operative, several ministers, journalists, railwaymen, compositors and textile workers. Mr. Albert Law, rejected at Bolton, drew the dole when defeated in 1924. Mr. Clynes and Mr. Tom Shaw, millworkers in childhood, are now trade union officials Mr. Henderson, an exmoulder, is now secretary of the Labour Party. Mr. A. V. Alexander was on an education committee staff until he became secretary of the Parliamentary Committee of the Co-operative Congress. To-day he is a leader of the co-operative movement. STUDENTS OF ECONOMICS. Mr. W. Grahun is a journalist who holds a degree with honours in economic science, and Mr. Arthur Greenwood was lecturer in economics at Leeds University before be became secretary of the Research Department of the Labour Party. Di. Addison is a Doctor of Medicine, aha was formerly a professor and examiner in anatomy. Miss Margaret Bondfield is the'chief woman officer of the National Union of General Workers, and Mi Herbert Morrison is secretary to the London Labour Party. Mr. William Adamson is general secretary of the Fife Miners’ Association, and Mr. F. O. Roberts formerly represented the Typographical Association. Mr. Pethick-Lawrence is a barrister who used to edit the Labour Record and Review, Mr. Jack Hayes is an ex-pohceinan. Mr. Tom Johnston is editor of a Scottish Labour journal, Mr. Shinweli used to organise the Marine Workers’ Union, and Mr. F. Montague was a statistical clerk engaged in (trade union work. Mr. J. J. Lawson worked in a pit at 12 years old and became a checkweighnian. Mr. Ben Smith has been a seaman and cabman, and Sir James Sexton was at sea before he became secretary of the Dock Labourers. PLANS OF EX-MEMBERS. The News-Chronicle received the following replies to inquiries concerning the future plans for careers both public and personal of the following :— Dr. Addison (former Millister of Agriculture at £2000): “Propose to continue fighting reaction. Shall strenuously advocate constructive proposals for agricultural developments.” Mr. Lees-Smitb (former Minister of Education at £2000): “My immediate task is to return to ray work as a delegate to the Indian Round Table Conference, which is now reaching its critical stage. Beyond that 1, and the other members of the late Labour Cabinet, will do our duty in Opposition and keep the country informed of the real nature of the acts of the National Government.” Sir Ben Turner: ‘‘l am resuming my work for the National Union of Textile Workers and am trying to rescue the depressed wages imposed upon the textile workers and also continuing my county council work.” Miss Ellen Wilkinson: ”1 return on Monday to my work as Trade Union organiser for the National Association of Distributive and Allied Workers.” Mr. John Beckett (who seized the mace in the House of Commons): “Shall work for Socialism in South London and lecture and organise to turn the men who ran away out of the Labour movement and build a Labour party fit to be trusted.” Mr. Albert Law, ex-M.P. for Bolton (who gave up work as a cotton spinner to become a Parliamentary candidate and went on the dole when defeated in 1924, but has fallen out of benefit): “I don’t know what I shall do. 1 shall have to find something. 1 could sign on at the Labour Exchange, but I shall not do that.” Rev. H. Dunnice (Deputy-Speaker in last Parliament): “I shall never touch I>olitics again as long as I live.”