AGAINST WAR

Timaru Herald, Issue 170298, 17 August 1920, Page 7

AGAINST WAR

BRITISH' LABOUR. CONFERENCE.

By Eiecrr*-, Telegraph—Copyright. United

LONDON, August 15. Newspapers are vigorously discussing tlic Labour Conference's attitude towards direct action.

Many scout tue Labour plea <f urgency, pointing ouu that M.v Lloyd George was previously pledged not "tcmilitarily assist Poland ana ~i..t to employ the blockade if the Bolsneviks were prepared to make a fair peace and respect Polish independence. * Labour, therefore, is incongruously threatening a strike in support of the Government's policy. bonio newspapers describe the excited action of the Conference as in the nam an electioneering move, hence the [support of Messrs Adamson, Clynes, o'Grady and Thomas. Others note that what is called the Council of Action includes Messrs temilhe, Williams, Cramp and other avowed sympathisers with Bolshevism, who, it is believed, are now reguhvly ln contact with the Moscow Government through the Kameneff n.ission. J'hey fear that the direct actionist mav become a serious menace, if distress and severe industrial trouble iuw in the coming winter. The "Westminster Gazette' 1 behaves that the Conference reflects a growing disidce of the old diplomacv. Parliamentary inertia, and- the failure of statesmen to secure peace. The "Times" does not' doubt that astute aliens, essentially anti-British, nf. gated the recent Labour developments in Britain.

MUNITIONS STOPPED. M Huyesrunns informed the Council of Action that French munitions for General AY range], already at had been stopped by order of the Belgian Government and tho Trade Union refusal to handle them.

COUNCIL OF ACTION BUSY.

The '-Times." Received 1.20 a.m., August 17tti

LONDON, August "(5. The Council of Action ' is holding daily sittings privately, issuing official statements to the Press.

A proposal for the formation throughout the country of local councils was promptly carried out in industrial areas. Such bodies have -j-eady been formed in Sheffield, Plymouth, Gateshead, Northampton, Leicester j and elsewhere, and sub-committees appointed to carry out strike arrangements.

The National Socialist party approved of a. strike to prevent war, and rejected an amendment pledging orery aid to the Council of Action, on the ground that that body might declare a strike for recognition of -the Soviet Government.

GERMAN "WORKMEN ALSO ACTING. Renter. BERLIN, August 16. A« Silesian newspaper reports that German workmen, in order to enforce their demand that the movement of Allied troops shall cease during the Piusso-Polish war, side tracked a number of French troop trains in Upper Silesia, and placed guards over them to prevent them proceeding.