Laski Prophesies A New Britain

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 191, 14 August 1945, Page 5

Laski Prophesies A New Britain

AUDACITY THE KEY TO THE FUTURE

PARIS, Aug. 12. “Our Labour victory in Britain is only the beginning. Our real victory will be determined by our future audacity,” said Professor Harold Laski, when addressing the French Socialist Party conference. As Mr. Laski came forward the audience broke into the “Internationale,” “We have beaten Mr. Churchill’s party, but I want to state that French and British Socialists owe Mr. Churchill very much,” added Mr. Laski. “Our Labour victory was simple. It was the result of 50 years of propaganda. We want a similar big Socialist victory in France so that Britain and France will have the same objectives and the same methods.” The general secretary of the British Labour Party, Mr. Morgan Phillips, stated that Britain would take the lead in fostering Socialism on the Continent, but British Socialists were definitely against union with the Communist Party. CRIPPS ON COTTON GOVERNMENT HAS NO NATIONALISATION PLAN LONDON, Aug. 12. It was not part of the Government’s policy to nationalise the cotton industry, said Sir Stafford Cripps, President of the Board of Trade, at a press conference at Manchester. The cotton employers and the unions had agreed to establish a commission for framing definite proposals for an early revision of wage agreements and modernising machinery. ‘Sir Stafford Cripps added that cotton was the first major industry to be dealt with and might give some indication of how other industries would be treated. The Government was prepared to assist the cotton industry provided it was clear that the national interest of producing as great a volume of goods as possible at reasonable prices with good working conditions for the operatives took precedence over all other considerations. The Government appreciated that the industry should yield a reasonable return on the capital employed if it continued under private enterprise. The immediate needs were to create confidence in regard to wages and security of occupation for the worker.