SECOND EDITION

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160730, 17 August 1920, Page 7

SECOND EDITION

BRITAIN’S ATTITUDE AND THE COUNCIL OF ACTION. By Tel cgraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Reu-.er.—August 17, 2.30 p.m." LONDON, August 16. Mr Billing drew attention to the resolution- threatening a general strike in the event of military measures being taker; against Russia, and which he described as being tantamount to a labour dictatorship under the name of the Council of Action. lie asked if the lime had not crime to terminate the organisation of indii.-irial disturbance for the purpose or achieving political ends. Mr Lloyd George .-aid that the Government's policy appeared in no wise to -’lifer from the Labour Conference. This ,-wing of sledge-hammer at the open door wa.s only intended for display; any attempt to dictate a policy to the Government or Parliament bv industrial action struck at the root o: the democratic coastitiuirei o; Britain, and would be rosii„td with all the forces at the Government's disposal. Mr Bonar Law, in moving the adjournment until the 19th October, with pro- > vision that Parliament might be conven>cd earlier if desirable, said that nothing id occurred since the adjournment exi I • what appeared in the newspapers. 3 he Government's policy regarding the Pol ish-Russian question had been laid down in the 'dearest possible manner by trie prime Mini-ter. There was not the slightest foundation for the suggestion that the t.olicy wo;: id be altered by any expr. --.-ion of public opinion or action c- th- I'Mv calling ic-eif the Council of Action. Tlu-re had not been the slightrat deviation from the beginning of the British attitude towards the PoUsh-Rus-sian war. He stated that the Government- mt-ssage to the British representative in Warsaw for conveyance to the Roles laid down that we would not interfere if the Ilu.-.-iau terms were genuine, and it went no further than that. The message was communicated simultaneously to the Allies, and the Italian Government telegraphed its entire approval of the step taken.