NEW LABOUR MINISTRY

Southland Times, Issue 25737, 30 July 1945, Page 5

NEW LABOUR MINISTRY

MEMBERS CHOSEN BY MRATTLEE IMPORTANT POST FOR MR BEVIN (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, July 28. Britain’s new Labour Government has been formed. Mr C. R. Attlee, following Mr Churchill’s example, has combined the post of Minister of Defence with that of Prime Minister, and is also First Lord of the Treasury. MR ERNEST' BEVIN succeeds Mr Anthony Eden in the important post of Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. The other members of the new Ministry are:— MR HERBERT MORRISON —Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons. MR ARTHUR GREENWOOD —Lord Privy Seal. . MR HUGH DALTON—Chancellor of the Exchequer. SIR STAFFORD CRIPPS— President of the Board of Trade. SIR WILLIAM JOWITT— Lord Chancellor. A number of other posts remain to be filled. Mr Attlee told a meeting of Labour members of the House of Commons that the Labour leaders were determined to have the best team possible for Ministerial positions. After he had been acknowledged with acclaim as the leader of the party, Mr Attlee warned members that some trusted old comrades would be passed over in the appointments still to come. This must be regarded as giving young blood a chance. Older and more experienced members would be asked to adopt small gi’oups of newcomers to assist them find their feet. Labour members of the House of Commons, summoned to London by telegram, held a formal meeting to constitute the new Parliamentary Labour Party and elect a leader—an

automatically assumed by Mr Attlee. The members met in an atmosphere of high expectation and confidence. Large crowds gathered outside the hall to greet the new members. Women were given a special welcome. The King received the Ministers of the old and new governments at Buckingham Palace. The Ministers of Mr Churchill’s Government went in first and handed in their Seals. The Lord Chancellor, Lord Simon, was the first to arrive, the Foreign Secretary, Mr Anthony Eden, next, then Lord Woolton, Lord President of the Council, Sir John Anderson, ‘Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Lord Beaverbrook followed at five minute intervals. The new Ministers received their Seals from the King and took the oath at a Privy Council meeting. After the departure of the retiring Ministers, Mr Attlee, Mr Bevin, Mr Greenwood, Mr Morrison, Sir Stafford Cripps, Mr Dalton and Sir William Jowitt were present. Mr Morrison and Sir Stafford Cripps did not receive Seals as the offices of Lord President and President of the Board of Trade do not carry them. The King was photographed with Mr Attlee in the palace grounds after the meeting. A crowd gathered outside the Palace and watched the Ministers leave. There were cheers for Mr Attlee, who raised his hat in acknowledgement of the greeting. He left by car tvith a police escort. The Prime Minister called at 10 Downing Street and afterwards left for an airfield where a plane was waiting to take him to Potsdam.

The diplomatic correspondent of the Press Association says it is confirmed that Mr Bevin is accompanying Mr Atlee. Neither Mr Churchill nor Mr

Eden is returning to the Big Three meeting.

BIG THREE TALKS TO BE RESUMED '

(Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, July 28. Correspondents in Potsdam have learned definitely that the meeting of the Big Three will resume tomorrow. Mr Attlee will be accompanined by the Secretary of the War Cabinet, Sir Edward Bridge, and Mr Churchill’s former military advisor, General Sir Patrick Hastings Ismay. The correspondent of the Associated Press in Potsdam says: Tokyo radio’s reply to the ultimatum that Japan intended to prosecute the war to the end according to a fixed plan was picked up by all military listening posts and passed on to the delegations in Potsdam. The Japanese disclosure that Admiral Baron Kantaro Suzuki’s Cabinet met for three hours is considered more significant than tiie bitter note of defiance from Tokyo. It is considered that the Japanese must be weighted heavily by the fact that although the ultimatum came from Mr Churchill, President Truman and Generalissimo Chiang Kaishek, it also came from a locality where not Generalissimo Chiang but M. Stalin is present. Mr Attlee and Mr Bevin flew separately to Berlin from the Royal Air Force Transport Command’s airfield at Northolt in four-engined Skymasters. Mr Attlee’s aircraft was that formerly used by Mr Churchill and was flown by the same crew. His Skymaster had an escort of Mosquitoes.