COLNE VALLEY SEAT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17607, 24 October 1931, Page 15

COLNE VALLEY SEAT

TRIANGULAR CONTEST CHURCHILL ANGERS CROWD LABOR’S POLICY OUTLINED (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Received October 24, 3 p.m.) LONDON, October 23. Tiro New Zealander, Colonel Lascelles, has declined to withdraw his candidature for the Colne Valley seat and so prevent a triangular contest. 'There have been week-long negotiations to reduce the original quadrangular light to a straight tight between the National and Labor candidates. Colonel Lascelies and Mr. Mallalieu, National Liberal, refused to withdraw, whereupon Mr. Franklin, National-Labor, cancelled his candidature. The Conservatives contend that M r.\ Franklin’s withdrawal was most -suitable as liis was an eleventhhour candidature. The Liberals similarly regard Colonel Lascelles as an interloper, and point out that tho Conservative chairman resigned because lie did not agree with the Conservatives fighting tho scat, . Mr. Philip Snowden sent a letter to liis old constituents urging them to vote for the Liberal candidate in view of the disloyalty of the local Conservative association.

The reiteration of the statement that Labor was unfit to govern caused howls of fury when Mr. Winston Churchill spoke at Forest Gate in support of tho Conservatives. A powerful loud speaker overcame the opposition. Mr. Churchill, chuckling, said r'T.’vo got a machine gun against these pea shooters.” Ho added that the greatest harm the SocialistParty had done was to lower tiro fame and prestige of Britain throughout tho world. Mr. Arthur Henderson, in a broadcast address, said Mr. Baldwin was too modest to announce that his party was already masters of the situation. Mr. MacDonald, with.his Liberal and exLabor colleagues, were prisoners allowed out on parole beyond the wire entanglements. . “A Tory tariff camp victory for the new combination means the speedy beginning of high protection,” he added. “World capitalism has broken down even where it was thought to be secure. Labor fights on a policy of planning the reconstruction of national life, using tho resources of the nation for the nation’s benefit; stands unanimously for a balanced budget-, and opposes inflation and tariffs. Its monetary policy would stabilise prices. “Typical false anti-Labor propaganda was the statement thaj the people’s savings were insecure if Labor carried out. its policy, whereas savings bank depositors had most complete confidence because their savings were cared for by the State. Britain’s prestige during Labor’s term' of office was raised' immeasurably. Under Britain’s moral leadership World labor would lighten tho burden of armaments. Support for the League of Nations would prevail in the spirit Pitt enunciated when he declared that “England has saved herself by her exertions and will, I trust, save Europe by her example.” MJR. MACDONALD’S SEAT LETTER TO LABOR PARTY DEFENCE OF HIS ACTION LONDON, Sept. 18. The Prime Minister addressed the following letter to Air. W. Coxon, secretary of the Sealiam Division Labor Party, who had written informing him that a delegate meeting of the party had confirmed the resolution of its executive asking Mr. MacDonald to resign his seat in Parliament:— “1 have received your undated letter this morning, reporting the business done at the mooting last Saturday. I should be glad if you would inform me how many votes there were at the meeting and whether any were not used. “1 know that the executive were very anxious apparently that I should not be heard, so that they might have a chance of securing a verdict against me without having the situation explained at first hand. Their loyalty to Labor principles arid their desire to serve the working classes they wished to show by following the method ‘ours not to reason why.’ The debates which have taken place in the House of Commons during the last week and up to last night must.have shown all who were following facts that my lute colleagues, who have crossed the floor of the House, have an impossible task in defending their action; and that those of us who have remained to carry out responsibilities which could not be avoided have, as a. matter of fact, served the Labor movement with that rectitude which alone will preserve that movement as an organised and progressive force in the community. But the' executive wished to shield itself from any such blast.

“The vote which you report is uo guidance to me or anyone else as to the desires of the Scaham party. I therefore propose to let the matter rest where it is for the moment. The action of the new Government has already averted the immediate crisis, which, if left to develop, would already have reduced wages and incomes by percentages in relation to which the very hardest of the proposals now being made are but tloabites; and so we have time to understand things a little bit better, to use bur own intelligence, to come to conclusions upon ascertained facts, and to give proof to the country that Labor parties will never consent to be degraded to the position of unthinking cogs in a big party machine. “I hope that it may be possible for me to meet my Soaham friends, so that, when they are again asked to consider this question, they may do so after having heard what the trouble was all about and why the steps that have been taken had to be taken.” Mr. Coxon declined to inform press representatives how many delegates voted for and how many against the executive’s resolution, but it has been unofficially stated that the demand for Mr. MacDonald’s resignation was approved by 40 votes to 30.