RISE OF SOCIALISTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 June 1923, Page 5

RISE OF SOCIALISTS.

THEIR POWER IN BRITAIN. ANXIETY FOR FUTURE. By Telegraph—Pros* Awn,—Oopyrlght. Received June 14, 5.5 p.m. London, June 13. In the House of Lords, Lord Birkenhead drew attention to the growing strength of Socialism, and asked th? Government whether it proposed to take any legislative step to modify the powers of trade unions in making compub sory levies for political purposes. He said the House of Lords had never been faced with a Situation so critical as the present one. If once a Socialist Government attained power it would not be the moderate Laborities who would direct its programme. The danger of Socialism to the country and the Empire lay in the disparagement and destruction of private ability, capacity and initiative. Lord Peel said that if a large amount of Socialist feeling existed in the country it should have the fullest representation in the House of Commons. There was already a safeguard preventing trade unionists from being compelled to finance political views of which they disapproved. It was most important that no action should be taken with reference to trade unions using their funds giving rise to a suspicion that the Government was trying to prevent the fullest expression being given to , Socialist opinion. Lord Emmott said the suggested change would be unjust and impolitic. Without trade union funds Labor could not run candidates.

Lord Haldane said he sympathised with the Labor Party, and he did not regard its programme as revolutionary. Lord Salisbury stated he believed in trade unionisTii, but he thought the day of swaddling clothes for unions had passed. The subject was then dropped.