LABOUR PROGRAMME

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 11 May 1929, Page 7

LABOUR PROGRAMME

ORGANISATION OE INDUSTRY

STATE ECONOMIC COMMITTEE LONDON, Ist May. “I am not interested’ln startling programmes, but in a programme appealing to the people's commonsense,” said Mr Ramsay MacDonald, in ’ launching the Labour Party’s election campaign at a great rally at the "Albert Hall. “Unemployment bulks largest in the Labour Party’s mind, and it will he the first matter to receive attention at the hands of the Labour Government,” he went on. “It will not be by means of relief works, however, although the unemployed will he maintained until they are absorbed)

“Britain to-day is facing a complete revolution in transport owing to the development of motors and electricity, which the Labour Party'believes must be assisted, or Britain will be unable to compete in. the foreign markets. “We propose to organise a ‘brain’ for the industrial state by the’formation of a committee, over which the Prime Minister will preside, and which will in-, elude the President of the Board of Trade and the Minister for Labour.

“All questions relating to markets, currency, and industry will be referred to the committee, on which there will also be experts representing the employers and. workers. Roagls will be built systematically, bridges will be broken down and reconstructed, railways will. be■'reconditioned, drainage carried on, reafforestation advanced, houses built, migration dealt with, colonial economic expansion Planned and carried out, all of. which, are embodied in Labour's policy/to meefc-.tjie needs of the modern industrial state. “I regard the International Labour Office as equal in importance with the League of Nations. We shall send delegates to its conferences to assist its work. Wo want peace* in Europe, including diplomatic relations with Russia.”

“The Times,” in commenting on the speech, says:—“Mr-MacDonald, in the main, merely rang the changes uron the blessed word development, and betrays a singular bankruptcy of original and constructive thought, particularly in respect>to-r.his proposal for-an economic committee to assist the Cabinet.

“Apparently he copied the Liberal idea of an economic general staff, but has forgotten the existing Committee of Civil Research. It is difficult- to see how a gerierically different body can he. created without cutting across the Cabinet’s executive authority. It is ridiculous to suppose that Cabinet is capable of acting for itself, and incapable of obtaining the best advice on economic problems.”