PATRIOTIC ATTITUDE OF OPPOSITION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7865, 29 July 1911, Page 1

PATRIOTIC ATTITUDE OF OPPOSITION

NOTABLE DECLARATION BY MR BALFOUR. Mr A. J. Balfour, leader of ■ tho Opposition, who previously Lid been in consultation with Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Secretary,, emphasised the nonparty attitude of the Opposition on this question. He said that any critics mho counted upon our absorption in homo deputes making it easy to wipe ns out of the map of Europe because wo had difficulties at home utterly mistook the temper of tho British people and tho patriotism of tho Opposition. THE LABOURITE VIEW. AIR RAMSAY MACDONALD'S SPEECH- 1 . ■ Mr Ramsay MacDonald, leader of the Labour party, declared that tho organised Labour forces in all countries would stand for peace in fair or foul weather. Ho was sorry that Air Lloyd Coorgo had mad© his Mansion House epeoohr-fOpposition cries of “No I”)because such a statement should hare l>ocn inado through private channels. He did not agree with private negotiations wherein tho public were 1 absolutely powerless to influence the direction of negotiations. • Tho British Labour party would co-operate with the Labour! tes of. Germany and Franco tc the last moment in tho interests of peace. Ho added: “If the path of peace bo wrecked at the present moment wo shall stand by peace''after it has been wrecked.”