REFORMS SOUGHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22173, 29 July 1935, Page 10

REFORMS SOUGHT

SOCIAL PROGRAMME NEW BRITISH MOVEMENT WIDE GROUND COVERED By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright British Wireless RUGBY. July 26 The newspapers publish summaries of a programme of political and social action for the next five years. This is not intended as a party platform, but is a statement of political objectives to which a large number of public men and women, drawn from all parties and different schools of thought, have subscribed. Among more than 150 signatories aro the Archbishop of York, Dr. William Temple, the Bishop of Birmingham, Dr. E. W. Barnes, Viscount Cecil, Mr. H. G. Wells. Lord Amulree, Sir Walter Lnyton, Lord Rutherford of Nelson, Sir Arthur Salter, Captain Harold MacMillan, M.P., Professor Gilbert Murray, Miss Thelma Cazalot, M.P., Sir Basil Blackett. Sir Oliver Lodge and Professor S. Alexander. In. the economic sphere the programme has the double objective of increasing productivity and lesson inn the grosser inequalities of economic rewards. The scandal of unemployed resources of labour and capital co-existing with unsatisfied wants must be ended, it is stated. Public works and a long-range plan of national development and conservation should bo undertaken to an extent variable in accordance with the conditions of trade. Social service should provide for every citizen a minimum of the necessaries for a full life. An Enabling Act is advocated for the purpose of thorough-going industrial reorganisation. It should be the British aim to establish a low-tariff group among the nations. In agriculture, encouragement should be given to forms of production for which the country is specially fitted, particularly milk, eggs, fruit and vegetables. Educational proposals include the raising of the school age. As regards the organisation of peace, the programme is for the acceptance of international supervision of armaments and co-operation in restraining violation of a disarmament convention. The programme has no political significance, the object of the signatories being educational and the near coincidence with Mr. Lloyd George's " now deal " proposals is understood to be accidental, although many details are common to both plans. Commenting on the programme, the Times says: "It is symptomatic of the movement of thought in two directions awav from narrow party grooves and toward a sense of nationhood which recognises social welfare as an increasing obligation of the State." It advises politicians to attend to the attitude of mind more than to the actual proposals.