BRITISH LABOUR PARTY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20087, 2 May 1927, Page 15

BRITISH LABOUR PARTY.

DR HADEN GUEST RESIGNS. ORGANISATION OF THE EMPIRE. TO CONTEST THE BY-ELECTION. UTeOM 008 OffM COBEEBPONDENT.) LONDON, March 9. Dr L. Haden Guest, member of Parliament for North Southwark, has resigned from the Parliamentary Labour-Socialist Party on the ground of fundamental disagreement with the Socialist policy on China. His resignation was conveyed in the following letter addressed to Mr J. Ramsay MacDonald: — “Dear MacDonald, —It is with a sense of profound regret that I have to inform you that I can no longer remain a member of the Parliamentary Labour Party. The recent and still continuing discussions on the Chinese crisis in the country, m the Labour press, and in the House of Commons have revealed a profound division both in political opinions and political policy between the majority of the Parliamentary Labour Party and myself. I believe the division to be of fundamental importance. Unfortunately, this is not the only division which has separated me from the majority of the Labour Party, for a parallel division showed itself in regard to the policy of the general strike; and there have been other divisions also. It is a painful thing for me to have to cut myseff off from political association with those who have been my friends and colleagues for very many years, but there is no alternative step which I can take. I can only hope that, however our political views may differ in the future, I shall be able to retain personal friendships outside of. the field of political affairs.— Yours very sincerely, L. Haden Guest.” In the course of his reply Mr MacDonald said: ‘‘Of course, I regret this, but I am not at all surprised, as for a long time on nearly every question that has cropped up I have felt that you were rather uncomfortable, and, of course, when a man gets out of touch with colleagues it is J far better that he should take the step that you contemplate. I note, however, that you refer to fundamental divisions. I would remind you that throughout all these disagreements not a word of censure has ever been spoken regarding you, either at the executive of the party .or at a party meeting.”

LABOUR’S LIMITED PLATFOEM. At a dinner of the Delphian Coterie, Dr Guest amplified his reasons for severing his connection with the Labour Party, and expressed his intention of contesting the seat again. For many years, he said, he had hoped it would be possible to make the Labour Party into a party really representing national feeling and national interests in a way different from the line taken by the Conservative or Liberal Parties, He had been driven to the conclusion —and it liad been a painful conclusion as far as he was concerned —that the Labour Party vould not become that party, and that those of them who really were in politics with no axe to grind or personal interests to serve, but only desiring to do what they could for the benefit of the country, must leave the Labour Party and come out and fight on a broader platform. For some years ho had in the party been turning his thoughts and activities to getting a more continuous and fuller discussion of Empire problems, because there was much too little knowledge of the Empire and its possibilities. Given proper co-operation between the constituent countries composing the Empire, and given a commonsense use of ito land, minerals, and vegetable resources, with a proper and directed use of the capital resources of this country and of its man-power resources, wo could as an Empire attain a level of prosperity and a level of happiness and efficiency surpassing that of the United Spates of America. But this had to be attained by men who understood, not only the technical problems in front of them, but the responsibilities of Government and the responsibilities before them. ORGANISING THE EMPIRE. In regard to China —which was a great Imperial question —he found himself obliged to leave the Labour Party, not only because the policy of that party was, in his view, wrong on the specific issue of sending or not sending troops *o t) at country, but the way in which that ] < .'icy was arrived at in the Labour Party was such as to destroy his belief in the capacity of that party to handle big Imperial problems. “I have,” he remarked, ‘‘every intention of continuing to represent my constituency, but in every constituency there is a poverty which is a disgrace to a country and an Empire like ours. The way out of our industrial troubles and distress is to set up a higher standard ot life and give people a better show than they are having. The way to do that is by organising the Empire resources that we have at our disposal. But do not let us delude ourselves. 1 have left the Labour Party because I do not believe in that party achieving the social changes which 1 think are necessary and desirable if this country is to be the great country to which its history entitles it. But although I have left it, my enthusiasm for change is no less. No doubt in the future I shall find myself, perhaps, advocating policies I have not advocated in the past; but I am certain that I shall never find myself in the position of going back from what I have said to-night—that the great way out for this country, and the emancipation of this country from its present condition of distress to a better condition which we may reach, is by a commonsense organisation of the resources of our Empire for the benefit of the people of the F.mpire as a whole.” At a meeting of the executive of the North Southwark Conservative Association Dr Guest made a statement of his views on various questions, and explained his reasons for leaving the Socialist party. He then withdrew, and the executive, after considering his statement, adopted unanimously a resolution declaring that he was deserving of, and should receive, the support of all Constitutionalists in the coming by-election.

At the by-electiori on March 29, following his resignation. Dr Guest was at the bottom of the poll, the result being as follows :-Mr E A. Strauss (Lib.), 7334: