AGAINST CONSCRIPTION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 72, 22 February 1940, Page 9

AGAINST CONSCRIPTION

LABOUR’S PEACE AIMS

SUPPORT FOR WAR. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Feb. 22. The New Zealand. Labour movement’s war policy and peace aims were discussed at a conference of the national executive of the New Zealand Labour Party and the national council of the Federation of Labour, held in the Trades Hall, Wellington, to-day. The conference endorsed a statement that to fail now to render the fullest support in the fight against Nazi aggression would brand the Labour movement as politically irresponsible, or worse. The peace aims outlined by the Leader of the British Labour Party were also endorsed. It was stated that there would be no conscription in New Zealand while Labour was in power. A declaration in favour of freedom of speech and opinion was also made. The conference adopted the following statement, to be submitted for endorsement by the annual conferences of the Labour Party and the Federation of Labour, to be held at Faster: COMPLETE SUPPORT. ‘■'After examination of the events leading up to the war and the trend of international affairs to date, this conference endorses the manifestos issued by the Now Zealand Labour Party and the Federation of Labour in connection with New Zealand’s parl ticipation in the war. We endorse the action of our Government in cooperating with Britain and France in their resistance to Nazi aggression, and also tlie statements made in connection therewith by the Prime Minister and the Deputy-Prime Minister, and we pledge our whole-hearted support to assist the Government to bring the war to a speedy and successful termination in the interests of the common people of all countries. “Our standard of living and culture' are not excelled by that of the people of any other country. Sell-government by the people of New Zealand within tiie British Commonwealth of Nations is the best guarantee of the continuaI tion of our liberties and protection of i the living standards of the people oi j New Zealand. | “We are in agreement with the BritI ish Labour and trade union movement and with the trade union and Socialist movement in France, and with the International Federation of Trade Unions, in their determination to ensure that the peoples of all countries shall have the right to decide their own political destiny, free from fear of aggression by dictatorship nations, where trade unionism and liberty are j in chains and the best fighters for I freedom are imprisoned in concontra- | tion camps. j “Ever since the conclusion of the last war, the Labour movement in New Zealand lias followed the same policy as the British Labour movement in relation to international justice and fair dealing between nations, and lias ■ consistently advocated a united stand of democratic nations against aggressions of Ihe dictatorships. ' STAND WELCOMED. “In common with the Labour movc-

ment throughout the world, we were seriously perturbed at the former tendency of the British Government to retreat in the face of aggression, and even, apparently try to make terms with the Hitler regime, and we repeatedly urged that retreat should cease. We, therefore, welcome the stand the British Government lias taken against Nazi aggression, but the Labour movement, after exerting its influence in bringing about this alteration in British foreign policy, must also take.its share of responsibility for the successful carrying out of the policy of resistance to aggression. “The British Government has at last taken the course wo repeatedly urged upon it, and to fail now to render the* fullest support in the fight against Nazi aggression would brand the Labour movement as politically irresponsible. or worse. “While we realise the working people of Germany are in no important respect different from ourselves, and while we hone to welcome them back some day to co-operation with the international Labour movement, we must face the situation as it is to-dav. German workers have no power to express their independent opinions, and their organisations have been ruthlessly suppressed. We know that, should Germany win, we must inevitably meet the same fate and lose everv I advantage wo have gained through many years of struggle in the political and industrial field. “To this struggle there can he no neutrality. We therefore reaffirm our determination to do everything possible to overthrow the Nazi regime, and to that end we pledge ourselves to assist tile Government to the utmost. M e endorse the peace aims outlined bv the leader of the British Labour Bartv.. WILL BE NO CONSCRIPTION. "On July Li, 1039, a joint statement ou 'The Defence ol Democracy’ was issued by the national council of the Federation ot Labour and the national executive of the Labour Party. That statement said, among other things: ‘We are opposed to conscription for military service, either inside of New Zealand or overseas. We are satisfied there is no need for conscription. Our young men will rally to the cause of the defence of their freedom against any aggressor.’

“We further desire to say that, in our opinion, there is no good reason for cither conscription or anti conscription movements in New Zealand. There is no conscription in New Zealand and there will be no conscription while Labour is in power. “The best possible guarantee against conscription, therefore, is to participate in the work ol the Labour and trade union movements to help to keep Labour in power and to support the Government’s voluntary recruiting campaign. We urge every member ol the Labour movement to volunteer bis or her services for utilisation in the most effective way ill which their knowledge, experience and capacity can be used for the safety and progress of tile Dominion. “No doubt many of those who are agitating against conscription are sincere in their fears of its possibility in this country, but it appears to us that some at least arc actuated more bv a desire to make things awkward for the Labour Government and to create disunity within the Labour movement than by a genuine fear ol conscription. FREEDOM OF SPEECH. “The use of the social security registration form for the compilation of a national register of manpower is essential for the efficient planning and organisation of the country’s economic and industrial life and has no relationship to conscription. “We support our Government s participation in this war because it is a war of democracy against aggressors who seek to destrov every democratic rierht and liberty that I-a hour lias fought so hard and at such a cost and sacrifice to win. Our movement has been built up on the basis of democracy, and we believe in the maintenance of the democratic rights of people in wartime, as well as in times of peace. We, therefore, declare ourselves -in favour of a of freedom of speech and opinion in New Zealand.” The statement concludes: Freedom of speech does not mean freedom to disorganise traffic b„v holding open-nil meetings in busy streets or wilfully to court disorder, but facilities should he provided IV.r meetings in suitable places approved hv recognised authorities to enable an expression of opinion by those who arc willing to abide by the laws of the country.”