IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9, 4 September 1912, Page 5

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

WILL THORNK AXI) LABOUR

(By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright

(United Press Association.) London, September 3. Mr. 'Will Thorne, referring to Lord Devonporl’s eTevation to the Peerage, said time it seemed that the qualification most recognised I>y the Tory and Liberal Governments was payment into their political fighting funds, to uphold the privileges of the propertied ch’sscs. Mr. Thorne demanded an eight hours’ day and equal educational opportunities for children. Child labour could only bo prevented by raising the school age. The religions difficulty could only he settled hy Statesupported secular education. He charged the Tory leaders with the responsibility of the attacks on Catholic Socialists at the Pel fast shipyards. If tiie Government had done its duty those high-placed individuals would have been put where thousands of Irishmen had been put for less violent language. The Franchise Bill did not meet trade union demands. He insisted on adult suffrage, the abolition of plurality voting, the payment of returning officers’ fees, simultaneous elections, and, proportional representation. Ho Imped that organised labour would stoutly oppose compulsory'arbitration. The wage earners should endeavour'to secure collective ownership of the land, railways and production, and support an international workingclass movement to terminate the foolishness of spending half the national revenue on armaments and war debts. MIDLOTHIAN BY-ELECTION. (Received I, 11.25 a.m.) London, September 3. The Liberal nad Labour breach in connection with the Midlothian byeleetion is widening. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald urged voters to listen "to tiio Liberal agents. Mr. Onthwaite, who is supporting Mr. Shaw, the Liberal candidate, angered many Liberals by advocating taxing landlords cut. Speaking with special reference to the Duke of Bneclouch, whoso ancestors ho accused of robbing the people and the church of 3G0,0(J0 acres, several speakers at the Trade Union Congress at Newport assailed the Labour members of the House of Commons ivitn dilatoiiness in connection with tiio Trade Unions’ Bill. Mr. Ward, member for Stoke-on-Jrent, replied that by-elections showed workers were keener about Home Rulo and Welsh disestablishment than rii)out the Osborne judgment. The Congress passed a resolution demanding compulsory cultivation of agricultural land.