GAUNTLET THROWN DOWN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25814, 9 April 1945, Page 6

GAUNTLET THROWN DOWN

LABOUR PARTY’S DECISION

FIGHTING NEXT ELECTION (Rec. 9.35 p.m.) LONDON, Apl. 7. Throwing down the gauntlet for the Labour Party in reply to Mr Churchill’s recent Conservative Party address, Mr Ernest Bevin, speaking at Leeds, denied that Labour’s decision to fight the election independently was irresponsible. The fact was, he said, that Parliament, which was elected 10 years ago on a self-confessed lie by Earl Baldwin, had already run five years over its course. The Conservatives who were responsible for the government for over 20 years, except for one brief period, ran a foreign policy which nearly brought not only Britain but the whole of civilisation to the dust. They condemned thousands of people to unemployment and semi-starvation while neglecting ordinary precautions of safety. . “ I profoundly admire Mr Churchill as the national leader —unfettered. I give him loyalty as the national leader, but not as leader of the Conservative Party This has not been a one-man war or a one-man Government. The whole Government sank its personal differences to maintain unity.” Mr Bevin declared that one of the greatest election issues would be public ownership. He regarded pri-vately-controlled monopolies as a positive danger to the community. Nationalisation of coal and electricity was essential, and he favoured a complete, co-ordinated and publicly-owned transport system. The Labour Party stood for controls in order to protect, the people, but was anxious to get rid of them as early as possible.