Great Britain.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 29, 31 December 1917, Page 5

Great Britain.

LABOR AND THE WAR. v ALLIES’ WAR AIMS. Press Assn.— I Copyright.—Australian lien and N. Z. Cable Association.? London, December 29..;;," Replying to a resolution of the Parliamentary Committee of the' .Trades Union Congress and the -Na*. tional Executive of the Labor Party, suggesting.,that the Government should make an early declaration of its war aims, Mr Lloyd George;’ in) a letter to the Labor Conference, saysthat the statement can only be made! in conjunction. with our allies. The!' - question of issuing a joint declaration was one which the Allies constantly kept in view-, but the absence of Russian consultation made thesubject impossible. He had stated., the British aims in his speech of He^ 1 >* member 1 20th•, ? w»fr ntnfeh rt hnfore convinced than to-day that the only, purpose wherefor the Allies had en-i tered the war was not imperialistic or vindictive, but that their achieve-! meut was essential for the future? freedom and peace of mankind. Mr Lloyd George to-night received the ihenvbefs of the joint committees l of. the Trade Union Congress and the! Labour Party, when a frank discussion took place on the war aim’s me- • morandura. The deputation were* pleased that the Premier’s reception of their proposals. The Premier in-? sisted that regarding Alsace-Lois raine, the wishes of the French Gov-< ernment must be respected, not those! of any section, of the French peo4 pie. The wording of Mr Lloyd George’s letter, coupled with the invitation to] the executive of the congress to discuss the position with him, is interpreted to mean that the Government is under no illusions as to the importance of Labor’s decisions. t

FOOD SUPPLY DISCUSSED. QUESTION OF DISTRIBUTION, t WARNING TO GOVERNMENT. Press Association—Copyright. 1 Reuter’s Service. I (Received 9.15 a.m.) .T ; ■ - London, December 30. The National Convention of! representatives of the Trades Union Congress and the Labor Party on the subject of the Food Supply has opened. A resolution was submitted protesting against unnecessary suffering in the urban areas especially among the women owing to the absence of an equitable distribution of Supplies,> and demanding equal distribution for rich and poor, compulsory rationing , ‘of many articles and better organisation of the milk supply. Mr Smillie, president of the Miners’Federation,, in moving the resolution, warned the- Government of a * grave •>. crisis in-the country unless they apt- ‘ ed fairly in’the matter of foodi Mr Glyne, secretary to the Food eeepWtf the resolution, and said iio Government could apply ■> any other policy. There was every •-- indication that the situation in thr< great industrial centres would become betted He ridiculed the idea . that •the Government could commandeer and distribute the fond supply. The ‘’ existing ■ distributing agencies! were ‘ essential. The resolution was adopted.

THE WESTMINSTER CONGRESS. Press Association—Copyright. Austra lian and N.Z. Cable Association. ! ’ London, December 29. The official framers of the memorandum of war aims stipulated that they must be accepted, rejected on referred hack unamended. Mr Ogden, voicing the official view,! world-wide issue might arise,the congress being one of the most important in the history of the world. ! Mr Smillie declared that the work-

' ; Mr Smillie declared that the workers of the world were anxiously a-. w.iitihg the result. ’ Mr Havelock Wilson, oommentinoj on the clause referring to food and; ‘raw, material, said Germany had practically invited our house to share supplies. He added: “Get on with: rthe wai'T’ ' Mr Walsh slated that he represented 80,000 .miners, who had had m opportunity, to consider , t;he { srpi posals.' ; The conference, after carrying the manifesto, adjourned till the following day., Mr Havelock Wilson, representing) the seamen, in moving the rejection, of the manifesto, reiterated that the seamen wbuld never sail in. ships with Germans until Germany repented her foul murders. Mr Wilson’s motion was rejected by 343 to 12. The Congress, by. a show of hands, adopted the manifesto practically unanimously. y 1 DISCUSSION AT THE CONFERENCE. --JSTRO- TURKISH SEPARATE PEACE PROPOSAL.

/ NOT SERIOUSLY RECEIVED. GERMANY MUST REPENT. tress Assn.—Copyright.—Australian and N'.Z. Cable Assn., and Reuter. (Received 9.0 a.m.).London, December 80. At the Labour Conference, Mr Henderson, in the course of bis speech, suggested that we should treat with Austria and Turkey, which thus would reduce the*fighting area and, release men for necessary labour at home. This met with cries of “No!” and “Pro-German!” Mr Henderson declared it was not' surprising that Neutrals and Russia, and even America, suspect us of annexationist designs and Labour could not allow this. The memorandum did not mean “Hands Up” or the “White Feather,” but Labour asked for anl opportunity to ascertain bow far* Germany was prepared to accept its? peace proposals.Mr Hill (boilermakers’ representative) declared that we must tight um til Germany repented of her crimes and four murders. 1

Air Thomas (railway men’jj representative) strongly disagreed with a suggested .separate peace with Austria and Turkey.- When peace was discus- 1 sed, it must be a world-peace. ■ Critics on the memorandum declaimed on the executive’s audacity in forcing the conference to accept thei memorandum immediately and holus-bolus when many delegates pos- 1 sessed no authority from their sOoie-> ; ties’. ■'

Mr Henderson Iras cabled the decision to Mr Huysmans, secretary to ! the International Socialists at the Stockholm Conference, asking him to ; con nuuucate it to Petrograd and tire Soviet, also intimating that the conference opposed a separate peace.

j DEFENCE OF THE REALM. NEW PROVISIONS GAZETTED. Press Association—Copyright. (’Renter’s telegrams.) ; -Received 8.4.0 a.m.) London, December 30- ■ A new provision in the Defence of the Realm Act prohibits residents , oh ihe United Kingdom sending remittances without written permission for stiii'scniption to any loan, or capital for purchasing any property except, merchandise, or the purchase of foreign currency with a view to its appreciation in value or as an investment. It therefore becomes necessary that telegraphic instructions to the United Kingdom for the payment of remittances outside the 1 United' Kingdom must be accompanied by a few words of explanation.

REPINCTON’S REVIEW. THE WESTERN STRUGGLE. PROSPECTS FOR 1918. Press Association —Copyright,. United Service. (Receved 9.20 a.m.) London, December 30. A strong fighting note marks reviews of the war and the prospects for 1918. \ Colonel Repington says: We must admit that owing to grave political and military misfortunes, we are liable to be hard beset in the West; also, it is nearly certain that in case of desperate decisions the German naval arm will not remain unused.

Discussing the prospects,' Colonel Kepington states that twenty-one German divisions have now moved westward from ' Russia, but twelve tired divisions have gone to Russia from France, The last thing the German Government desires to allow is anarchic disruption, and for the Bolshevik notions to percolate to Germany; consequently the Eastern Iront of 1200 miles must he closely guarded. He estimates that between 30 and 40 German divisions would be relieved for the West, where German,* urgently requires a decision owing to the impending arrival of large Ameri-' can forces and the fact that the internal conditions are growing worse.

Colonel Repiugton admits that the maintenance of the Genian strength throughout 1918 is assured, assuming that the operations are similar to those of 1917. Thus, it will be 1919 before attrition operates. The reduction of the Italian front by 100 miles makes the forty-four divisions of Austrians there ample for the defence; therefore it may be expected that Austro-Hungarian divisions will appear in France, probably in Alsace,* together with Austro-German reinstrength in the West, but they do not provide the superiority needed for w decisive offensive. Germany is likely to endeavour to apply her fayou.rifcg, s form of an enveloping attack, remaining faithful to the old dislike of a. parallel battle, but the method is applicable to few sectors in the West.' The Allies have won the best positions! in the West, and their airmen’s initiative, great artillery, and machined gun strength will render the attacks costlier than ever was the case ad Verdun. The enemy may shear away our always too-narrow margin of numerical superiority, throwing us on the defensive, but he has not that crushing superiority in men and guns' which was shown to be necessary against entrenched confident troops.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT. ) —*— Pres* Association—Copyrigfc Austra* lian and N.Z. Cable Association (Received 11.30 a.m.) London, December 30.

At the Labour food conference, Mr Sevan (dockers’ union), said that when in England the Hon. W. F. Massey (New Zealand) arranged with the Government that New Zealand mutton should be taken at one price from the factory and another from the ships. The American meat agents’ in Australia and New Zealand offered one or two shillings per head more for live cattle than the British Government paid for dead. Although the Americans apparently ■ were landing the carcases at a loss of a shilling ai head, they obtained the right toj release in this country, also the rigat to handle Argentine meat, thus making 3d per lb on the cost. I The conference passed a resolution demanding that the School Feeding? Act be applied throughout the conn-* try, also that boots and clothes be supplied to needy children.

The conference also protested against profiteering.