LABOUR LIBEL ACTION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 30 April 1940, Page 6

LABOUR LIBEL ACTION

T.U.C. MEMBERS SUE “DAILY WORKER” SEQUEL TO RECENT PARIS VISIT [U.P.A.—-By Electric Telegraph—Copyrightj (Received 30th April. 11.35 a.m.) LONDON. 29th April. A big Labour libel action arising out of the war opened in law courts. Sir Walter Citrine and six members of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress sued E. R. Pountnev. proprietor of the “Daily Worker.” for damages. Sir William Jowett for plaintiffs, said the libel referred to plaintiffs’ visit to France in December to initiate an Anglo-French Trade Union Council. The “Daily Worker” was the official organ of the British Communis) Party, which was affiliated with the Communist International at Moscow Sir William Jowett read articles from the “Daily Worker” containing the passages “The real purport of the Paris meeting is to bring a million trade unionists behind the war machine of British and French imperialism.” and ’ Partial law in factories, a sixty-hour week, compulsory deductions from wages and the abolition of shop stewards are some of*the benefits British and French unity may bring from across the Channel ”

Sir Walter Citrine, ir evidence, said the statements in the "Daily Worker” were misleading and untrue The Labour movement had repeatedly declared that money for the publication of the “Daily Worker” came from M, ''COW.