BRITISH POLITICS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18721, 27 November 1922, Page 7

BRITISH POLITICS

ADDEESS-IN-REPLY. LABOUR’S AMENDMENT. STORMY DEBATE PROBABLE. LONDON, November 23. The Labour amendment to the Addrcss-in-Ueply which Mr J. R. Clyues will move next week, regrets that, in the face of the unexampled unemployment, largely as the result of four years’, mistaken policvfor which the Government —the dominant Party in the late Coalition—is responsible, there is no adequate and equitable treatment for the victims in that policy, including full recognition of what is entirely a national obligation, nor any indication of a change to enable European customers to buy our goods again, so as to restore international trade and stabilise international exchange. Mr Ramsay Macdonald said our streets still witnessed unemployed processions. Some 1,300,000 people still required ameliorative measures. He intimated his intention to move an amendment on unemployment. Ho appealed to Mr Bonar Law, apart from the issues of the debate, to do something to allay the agitation gathering up in connection aith his refusal to see a deputation of unemployed, lie hoped he would not take up a redtape attitude, but deal with the matter ru a simple, common-sense way. He deprecated any suggestion that Labour sympathised with Bolshevism. Mr Bonar Law said the Government would do nothing to give any excuse for going back on the Irish Treaty. Mr Cosgravo told him Irish peace would be secured only by the loyal observance of the treaty by both sides. Ho (Mr Bonar Law) proposed to take the first Irish Bill on Monday, and to continue the discussion till it was completed. They would then resume the debate on the Address-in-Rcplv. Turning to unemployment, ho thought one difference between him and the Labour Party was that the Labour Party believed there was a surplus in the hand’s of the capitalists which would supply all the needs of the unemployed. . cries of “Piffle.”) He must adhere to his decision, not to see the leaders of the unemployed in procession personally.—(Cheers.) If he was in a position to make a special statement about unemployment, he would bo wrong to make it to any other body than the House of Commons. He said he would not refer to the Lausanne Conference beyond saying that the Government’s one aim was pca.cs. Up till now, he wfis thankful to say, there was every prospect of getting it'by the only possible means—namely, by agreement between the Allies. _ Ho could assure the House that he did not intend to stay in Mesopotamia, _or anywhere else, because of their oil interests. Ho could assure the Labour Party that they- were anxious to do all in their power to protect Christian minorities in the Near East, but they did not intend to do it alone. Mr Asquith, speaking of the new Government, said Unionism was now dead. The new watchword of the old Unionist Party was now propounded by Mr Bonar Law as tranquility. Ho thought the Prime Minister would - find that tranquility was not an easy virtue to practise. Referring to Ireland, ho sa.id he would he happy to think that she would soon be entirely responsible for the conduct of her own affairs. He expressed the hope that) in the Treaty we would find a real reunion with Ireland. Ho advocated widening the area of the Lausanne Conference. An invitation should be extended to as many other Powers'as possible. Mr Newbold, Communist member for Motherwell, condemned the Government’s attitude towards the unemployed. He added that “if they do not get satisfaction they will have to deal with you as Cromwell dealt with your predecessors.” Referring to the; opening ceremony in the House of Lords, he exclaimed: “If they only spent less money on Tomfool show —” Loud cries of “Order.” Mr Newbold withdrew- the remark. The rest of the speech was punctuated with interruptions. Lady Astor said she was tired of the Labour Party assuming that they were the only people interested in progress. She was much in sympathy with them.— (Labour cries of “Keep your sympathy. Wo don’t want it.”) Lady Astor replied ; “Keep a civil tongue in your head till T have finished.” She continued her speech amid frequent interruptions. The evening was largely devoted to the speeches of new private members. Mr Saklatvala, the member for Battersea, declared that the Treaty with Ireland had been obtained only by the threat of British invasion of Ireland. Therefore there was not a free expression of view by the Irish people. Mr Kirkwood (Glasgow Labourite) said when he saw all the pomp and splendour of the Royal procession his blood boiled. If Mr Bonar Law expected tranquility he never made a greater mistake. There would be no tranquility while women and children were starving. The present system was responsible for the murder of tens of thousands of people. Other Labour members complained of the callous indifference of the Government in not replying to the Labour speeches on unemployment Mr Bonar Law explained that there would bo a Labour amendment dealing with unemployment. The Government would reply then. Tbo House adjourned.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

THE AGONY OF ARMENIA

PLEA BY MR T. P. O’CONNOR. LONDON, November 24. When the House of Commons resumed tho debate on the Address-in-Reply, Mr T. P. O'Connor entered a strong plea for the Armenians, of whom, despite repeated pledges and promises by successive Governments, two millions had been slaughtered during the last 45 years. Those who acclaimed the Turkish victories w'cre going the wrong way about dealing with Mohammedan feeling. The Christian minorities in the Near East should be under the tutelage of an international body like the League of Nations. Behind the ’ Christian Governments had been the forces of high finance. Mr H. A. L. Fisher agreed that the League of Nations might.be usefully employed in protecting the Christian minorities. If the partition of Turkey had been a great error, it must bo laid at the late Government's door. Air Fisher asked the Prime Minister to devote a day to the discussion of reparations.—A. and N.Z. Cable. THE LAUSANNE CONFERENCE. IMPORTANCE OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS. LONDON, November 24. In the House of Commons Mr Ronald Mac Neill said full weight was being given at Lausanne to the importance of using the League to settle international difficulties. Lord Cnrzon was keeping the necessity of protecting the Armenians before the Conference, but Britain could not act as tho policeman of tho world by herself, but only with the co-operation of nil the Allies. The Reparations Commission’s report had not yet been formulated. but tho Premier was strongly of opinion that the House should discuss the question at an early date. Mr Godfrey Collins declared that tho Versailles Treaty was driving Europe to bankruptcy. Were wo going to sit idlv by and see tho conditions which ruined Austria applied to Germany?—A. and N.Z. Cable. THE FIRST DIVISION. CLOSE VOTING. ! LONDON, November 25. (Received Nov. 26, at 5.5 p.m.) Mr-Bonar Law's motion allocating the whole time of tho present short session for Government business was carried in the first division of the new House by 239 to 235 votes. —A. and N.Z. Cable.