TRADDE UNION CONGRESS.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13979, 8 January 1916, Page 5

TRADDE UNION CONGRESS.

BRISTOL RESOLUTION RE-

[Pb £88 ABBOOIATION —Co?* RIGHT, J

AFFIRMED.

MR. HENDERSON DEFIANT.

London, Jan. 6.

The Trade Union Congress was opened to-<lay at Westminster Hall to <!:s----cuss a motion affirming the. Bristol resolution deploring the disunifyiog actions of the compulsionists, but recognising that Mr. Asquith's pledge vas gcverened by Lord Derby's rosidt.s, though these had not yet justified the Compulsion Bill. The resolution concluded that Labour members should X* left to vote individually as Ibey thought t.

Mr. Hodge, M.P., in moving the motion, said he considered that voluntarism had not failed, still tL<> enly alternative to the Governmeut B.'ll would "be a general election on the issuo -of conscription, which would l>e one of the worst days in the Labour Party's history.

Mr. Loston, in seconding, said that the war must be won outrigjs. The Government' s proposal was of the flabbiest nature. Everyone wowld eventually find, that he possessed a conscience.

Mr. J. H. Thomas, M.P., said they must ignore the threat of ft geiwal election. He would refuse to carry out instruction to support the Rill.

Mr. Henderson said that »f Congress decided he must "oppose r;e Mill be would refuse to do so and wot: id &fk his constituents to endorse his action.

Mr. Ramsay MacDonalrl said it was impossible to Lave conscription of Onmarried men without married meTi. IJe opposed compulsion and the Bill.

The conference by 1,998,000 to •"<i3J--000 adopted an amendment reaffirming the decision of the Bristol Congress m unanimously protesting in the name'of three million organised workers against compulsion, and characterising ihe Government's proposals as econorfivailv disastrous to the life of the nation anil recommending Parliament to opp-tso the measure in all its stages.