APPEAL TO ELECTORS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 258, 9 October 1931, Page 6

APPEAL TO ELECTORS

PREMIER’S MANIFESTO NATIONAL GOVERNMENT’S POLICY Press Association. —Copyright. RUGBY, Wednesday. “The present National Government was formed in haste to meet a swiftly approaching crisis,” states Mr. Ramsay MacDonald in the manifesto with which he has opened the election campaign. “It stopped borrowing, imposed economy and balanced the Budget. World conditions and internal financial weakness, however, made it impossible for the Government to achieve its immediate object. bterling came off gold and the countiy must go through a period of recovery and readjustment, during which steps of the utmost importance nationally and internationally must be taken to secure stability and avoid a recurrence of the recent troubles. “A monetary policy, which will establish sterling in confidence and authority in international agreements, which will remove some of the most frightful causes of economic misfortunes like war debts and reparations, ir om which the whole world is now suffering so grievously, and plans to change anv adverse into a favourable balance of trade will have to be set coin a without delay. In the background of this work and, studied at evorv point iu connection with it. must be the question of unemployment, especially in its most important aspect of finding work by the expansion of markets both at home and abroad.

“Free Hahd Necessary”

“As it is ihi possible to foresee in the changing conditions of to-day what may arise, no-one cam set out a. programme of details on winch specr fie pledges can be given.- - The Government must, therefore, be tree to consider every proposal likely to imp, such as tariffs, the expansion oR exports and contraction of imports, commercial 1 treaties and mutual economic arrangements with the Dominions. It must teach how the devaluation ot money and economies which had to be made to balance the Budget affect the lives of our people, and take every step which can be hiade effective to protect them against exploitatl0 “It must be made plain, however, that while everything possible will be done to meet hardship, the Budget must not be allowed to slip into deficits. In these days of transition and uncertainty we must all pull togetnei, and by our co-operation, now strive to put new spirit, energy and hope into our people. “While our present conditions last these things cannot be done by political parties fighting partisan battles on the platforms and in Parliament, but they must not involve the loss of political identity, because the imraetnate tasks are temporary and when finished will be followed by normal political activities. They do mean, however, willing co-operation between all the political parties acting together through their representatives and shouldering joint responsibility for the discussion, examination and action. “National unity through the co-op-eration of parties, all parties by preference if that were possible, is as essential now as it was in August. In August the combination had - to be improvised hurriedly, both as regards the Government and its supporting parties and groups in Parliament. Now, with these prospects before us and so many world indications of uncertainty still threatening, it is essential that the nation’s support of the Government policy be oh bed- ■ rock and beyond shadow of doubt: Parliament has to be endowed with fresh life and mandates, so an election is unavoidable. The working of Parliamentary and constitutional practice demand it. . “An election, of the restllt of which there must be no uncertainty, is also necessary to demonstrate to the whole world the determination of the Bi itish people to stand by each other in times of national difficulty and to support any measures required for placing themselves and their credit in an unassailable position. That is the basis of every security which our people have.” Mr. MacDonald in his broadcast said the dangers were not yet over. If there was a prospect of an immediate reversal of the Government’s policy confidence would again decline, the value of the pound would fall and the country would again be threatened with the danger of inflation, involving the lowering of the standard of life and far greater cuts. The necessity for reducing imports might mean some form of prohibition jof certain, luxuries. It might mean a I.tariff. The country must give the Government its confidence.. The House of Commons must be so composed that nothing could happen during the transition period giving cause for fear developing into increased world nervousness and involving other nations as well as Britain iii financial panics* social distress and perhaps even revolution. There was no reason for such things. The country’s financial position was perfectly sound. The electors had the plain duty to put the nation first.