BRITISH NEWS.

Mataura Ensign, 25 February 1918, Page 4

BRITISH NEWS.

FOOD IMPORTS. PRIORITY^INf - SHIPPING. Received February 25, 8.50 a.ra. LONDON, Feb, 24. The ‘Observer-v states, “The War Cabinet has decided that food imports shall now have priority over all other war demands in allocating shipping. 5 ’ LABOR AND WAR AIMS. SOCIALIST CONFERENCE AGREEMENT. Received February 25, 8.50 a.m. LONDON, Feb. 24. The Inter-Allied Socialist Conference has ended. It reached a complete agreement on war aims, and will take steps to notify its decisions to the Socialist Parties in the Central Empires and is 'sending a delegation to confer with President Wilson and Mr Gompers (president of the American' Federation of Labor). At a farewell luncheon, Henderson (ex-Labor member of the War Cabinet) presiding, the chairman expressed gratification that the conference had substantially accepted British Labor’s war aims. The conference had decided for the absolute freedom and integrity of Belgium, Serbia, Rumania and Montenegro and that every territorial change he based on justice and right, making for the permanence of the world’s peace. “These are our irreducible minimum,” said Mr Henderson. “When they are secured we desire to ■begin the fullest intercourse with all nations. We repudiate every /attempt to institute an economic boycott or the commercial and financial isolation of Germany. The conflict can only he ended in three ways—namely, by militarism, exhaustion or conciliation. We are convinced that all the belligerents must eventually resort to conciliation. Nothing is further from the truth than the allegation that Labor is only concerned in holding out the olive branch to the enemy. We will not negotiate with the olive branch while the enemy’s hand holds the sword.; Both sides must be prepared to abandon militarism before settlement is possible.”

The Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Congress and the Executive of the Labor Party formulated a draft statement of Labor’s war aims and peace policy in December.

'.The statement 'said that, whatever caused the war, the fundamental purpose of the British Labor movement in supporting the continuance of the-war is that the world may be safe for democracy. The most important war aim is that henceforth there shall be no.more war, In order to achieve this object the movement relies upon the complete democratisation of all the frank abandonment of every form of Imperialism, the suppression of secret diplomacy, and the absolute responsibility of the Foreign Minister to the Legislature. The manifesto demands the universal' abolition of compulsory military service in all countries; the common limitation of armaments, and the abolition of profit-making by armament firms. Moreover, a snpernational authority or League, of Nations must be established, of the present belligerents, while neutrals should also join. All disputes must be submitted to an Inters, national High Court, All States must enter into a solemn agreement to make common cause against any State which fails to adhere to this agreement. It is impossible to ignore the fact that certain territorial readjustments will be required if the renewal of armaments •and war is to he avoided. It was a crime that Alsace-Lorraine was forcibly torn from France in 1871. The inhabitants should be allowed to freely decide their political future. The people of the Balkans and Poland 'should decide their own future, irrespective of Austrian, Turkish or other foreign domination. MAN-POWER PROPOSALS. LOYAL DURHAM MINERS. Received February 25, 9.45 a;m LONDON, Feb. 24. The Durham miners have decided to support the man-power proposal and to supply 50,000 Class A men, to be selected by the miners’ organisations.