LABOUR PARTY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 8 October 1936, Page 7

LABOUR PARTY

COMMUNISTS NOT WANTED MOTION FOR AFFILIATION REJECTED STORMY SCENES AT CONFERENCE (United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, 7th October. There was an uproarious beginning at the Labour Conference at Edinburgh, the chairwoman, Mrs Adamson announcing a curtailment of the discussion on a motion to permit Communists to affiliate in order to allow Spanish delegates to address the conference. Pandemonium broke out but the closure was applied. Mr Rhys Davies, a- member of the House of Commons, opposing affiliation, said: “For every Communist gained we lose scores of working-class Socialists.” He hoped “once and for all to tell the Russians, Germans and Italians we are capable of deciding what political institutions we want.” The affiliation motion was rejected by 1,728,000 votes to 592,000.

SPANISH ENVOYS SPEAK “HELP US TO BUY ARMS” DELEGATES SING THE “RED FLAG” (Received Bth October, 9.45 a.m.) LONDON, 7th October. At the Labour Conference Senor Asua, the Spanish envoy, said: “We are fighting against tanks and guns With sticks and knives. Help us to buy arms somewhere. We can pay. Senorita de Palencia, speaking in English, said she was of Scottish descent and a Catholic. There would be absolute liberty for the Catholic Church when the Government forces won. Stories and pictures of atrocities were not true but she did not deny that violence was committed on both sides, which was inevitable in a civil war. The delegates to the conference rose and sang the “Red Flag” and cheered, after which they discussed party affairs.

DELEGATION GOING TO LONDON (British Official Wireless) RUGBY. 7th October. Following the Spanish representatives’ addresses at the Labour Party Conference, it was announced that Mr C. R. Attlee and Mr Arthur Greenwood were going to London to try to see Mr Neville Chamberlain, Chancellor of the Excheciuer. in the absence of the Prime Minister, Mr Stanley Baldwin, with a mew to layingbefore him statements made by the Spanish envoys.