STRIKE AND TAXATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19405, 13 August 1926, Page 11

STRIKE AND TAXATION.

POSSIBILITY OF INCREASE. SPEECH BY LORD BIRKENHEAD. COST OF THE STRUGGLE. That the coal strike may result in increased taxation if it is not rapidly ended was the statement made by the Earl of Birkenhead, addressing a Conservative meeting at Luton recently. They avoided, by the failure of the General Strike, Lord Birkenhead said, the threats which ultimately succeeded in Soviet Russia and reduced a great country to the level which we can observe to-day. They were not taken unawares by the strike and they taught them that the spirit of old England was stronger than the spirit of new Moscow. (Cheers.) "Many will be wondering," proceeded Lord Birkenhead, "why no settlement had been obtained of the coal dispute. The difficulty has been this: We have had to negotiate with a gentleman called Mr? Cook, who, unless he has abandoned — there is very little reason to suppose it—every conviction he ever cherished in all his life, does not wish to attain a settlement. We cannot, in my judgment, confidently hope for au adjustment of this dispute until someone is able to conduct the negotiations who is not thinking of foreign political theories, not advertising himself as a disciple of Lenin, but who is attempting to procure the best terms that are honestly obtainable in the existing economic conditions for British miners." (Cheers.) The Money From Russia. Referring to the money which the miners had received from Russia, Lord Birkenhead observed that no one, with the slightest knowledge of the existing state of Russia would ever believe that these gifts had proceeded from anyone -but the Government of Russia. "It is impossible to distinguish between the Soviet of Trades Unions and the Government of Russia. They come on like the clown and the harlequin and the pantaloon at the end of the old-fashioned pantomime. They are united for the purpose of mischief and crime. Let them understand we clearly know this subvention came from the Russian Government, and what is the motive which led the Russian Government to make it." (Cheers.) Some might ask why the British Government still maintained diplomatic relations with, such a country. "I need not say more than this," Lord Birkenhead went on, "that on an evenly balanced argument the Government decided that since they were here and since we perfectly understood them, 'their methods and their purposes and their aims, they could, perhaps, do no more mischief here than they could do elsewhere. I cannot doubt that unless we observe signs of a change—though none at present is_ apparent—it will be necessary to re-examine the whole question and to decide whether or not we, are well advised in retaining any degree of association with a country whose avowed purpose in every part of the world is to undermine the historical greatness of this country. (Cheers.) Cost of the Strike. "We cannot reckon in millions or hundreds of millions what this unnecessary coal strike has cost the country," said the speaker, "and what it will cost before it has reached a conclusion. But the time is rapidly passing when we can hope to escape less taxation, both direct" and indirect for the next year and, perhaps, even for this year, if there is no end to its ill-omed progress." Lord Birkenhead added that, while he was not in a position to make a pronouncement on behalf of tho Government, he could not doubt that, in some form or other, legislation would be required to protect society against any recrudescence of this mischief caused by tho general strike, nor could he doubt that the great and unprecedented privileges which were given in 1906 to the trade unions of this country would require somo measure of reconsideration and even of correction. (Loud cheers.)