"ON FASCIST LINES"

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23831, 10 June 1939, Page 14

"ON FASCIST LINES"

THE BRITISH EMPIRE In a speech at Bristol last month Sir Stafford Cripps declared that the British Empire is now being ruled entirely on Fascist lines (reports the Manchester Guardian). " There are the same concentration camps, the same suppression of free speech, the same utilisation of armed forces to suppress public opinion, the same ghastly low standards of living for the workers. In almost every way, though not the same degree, you have the same typical action of the governing class or governing nation in order to obtain the suppression of the native peoples in those areas. So that it is no solution of the problem to talk of handing over the colonies from on imperialist Power to another imperialist Power."

Sir Stafford criticised the Government for concentrating its whole energies on the production of armaments, with no policy for the future. " There would be six, seven, or eight million unemployed if the munitions and armaments factories closed down," he said.

Earlier Sir Stafford attended a private meeting of members of the constituency Labour Party to discuss his position. There were about 250 persons present, and only three voted against a resolution of confidence and support for his petition campaign.