THE ELECTION

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24906, 20 June 1946, Page 4

THE ELECTION

MR GERARD PREDICT! “TOUGH” CAMPAIGN

ADDRESS AT ST. MARTINS “‘Are you a Socialist or are veu not?’—that is the fundamental question at the coming election.” said Mr R. G Gerard, M.P., in an address at St Martins last evening. “There is no good in being side-tracked by any other issue. I believe that the next question, if we don’t have a change of Government in 1946. will be: ‘Do you believe in Socialism or do you believe in Communism?’ ” While the Socialist structure wai being built up, the people, in their s&L centred way, were inclined to say that the legislation affected others, but not them, Mr Gerard said. The plans tot Socialism were being made at the Labour Party’s conference this week. The latest recommendation was that the State should operate all forms of transport. Next they would find that the mercantile firms would be taken over, and the State ownership of the freezing companies would follow. Mr Frank Langstone, the leader of the Left Wing of the Labour Party, had said that the houses of the people should be publicly owned and privately occupied. That, of course, was complete Socialism. Before discussing the differences in the policies of the National and Labour Parties, Mr Gerard said he believed tbe problems of the future could be solved only by mutual goodwill, tolerance and understanding between all sections of the community. Each section, in town and country, was pushing its own interests. without considering the effects on other sections. “It is one of the bad trends in our country,” he said. “We forget the national needs in our own particular sectional interests and the Government’s legislation is tend* ing to make every section look more to the Government for its own sectional interests. I know you Yw? say the farmers ask for more from JM Government. Of course they do, > cause that is the policy built up of becoming more dependent.” He realised more than he did before entering Parliament the good work of the Industrial workers. There was a gull between town and country. Th® country people felt that the town people were having a better spin and those in the town thought the country people were grumblers all the timeHe hoped to have the opportunity doing something to bridge the gu[L as he was not one of those who aw not expect to have the opportunity after the next election. (Laughter.) “I believe this is going to be a tough election; but if the country is split it will be hard to get it together again, concluded Mr Gerard. ‘Let us keep our feet on the floor. Let us diner politically and be good friends