ATTACK ON GOVERNMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20427, 2 December 1929, Page 11

ATTACK ON GOVERNMENT.

SPEECH BY BIRKENHEAD. denunciation oe L~E'ADERS< GENERAL POLICY CRITICISED. r *" By Teletgiaph—Press Association— Copyright. (Received December 1. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 30. The former Secretary of State for India, the Earl of Birkenhead, speaking at a meeting of the Conservative Associations, Haid he considered that the tone adopted by Mr. Snowden, Chancellor of {he Exchequer, at. the recent Hague Conference, in insisting on something for which the Conservative Government would have been equally insistent, but mora polite, was alien to British' diplomatic traditions.

Lord Birkenhead said: "It is astonishing that London should gallop forward to acclaim Mr. MacDonalcl and Mr. Snowden and confer on them the freedom of the city. It was in the balance in 1914-18 whether the Empire would survive or be smashed. Mr. Snowden contributed a. constant stream of defeatism. Mr. MacDonald excit-ed only a strike in the mercantile marine when it refused to convey him to a Soviet conference.

" A combination between the other parties could turn the Government out. I would rely on the common sense of the people to turn it out when it was grossly wrong, rather than maintain it by fundamental hypocrisy. " Unless it is controlled it will destroy the whole basis on which our relationship with Egypt depends, and bankrupt ns of our obligation to maintain the rights of civilised, countries there. "Ii the Government thinks it can escape its obligations to Europe it will prove itself to be a political infant. " There is no immediate prospect of Dominion status for India. It would dissolve India into anarchy. I wish soine ' son of toil," and a competent trades unionist, were Secretary of State for India. It is not the place for v. secondrate Parliamentary filibuster. I hope those who must decide this question will not be influenced by this amateur, sentimental diplomacy. " Wo were finding work for more men in England than were employed in July, 1914. Our right to large scale migration has bean greatly restricted. The Government places burden after burden on capital. We--shall« soon find 250,000 bright eyed boys, who should be seeking work, receiving the dole."