Headaches For Labour Politicians

Chronicle (Levin), 12 March 1948, Page 5

Headaches For Labour Politicians

I.OXDOX, Marcli 10. Possiblv thc most fnrreaching resolution ainong the 30(1 alroadv set down 1'or dis-us.sion at ihe 47th ainuial confciciici- of the Britisli Labour Party is oue t'roni thc Lew isliam biam-h (.Mr. Herbert Morrisou's constitueney ) deniandiug that when Labour is tlie governing politieal party all deeisious of tlie partv i-onfereiice should be binding upun ihe Go'vernment. 4 This bluntlv raises tlie vita! const itutional queslion a> to who is to govern — tlie Lalmui Party Conference or the elected Govei ument. No far Cabinet has avoided a direct i-lash with tlie eonl'erence on this muller, but if the Leuisluini braucJr pro i-eods w i t-h its remit this may shortly be pieeiiiitated. The main emphasis in tlie conference agenda, liowe\er, is on the economie eonditions, aiul jiredomiiiant ly upon tlie re»ulatioii of priees and dividends. Mr. Bevin's (dd union, the Transport and General Workers, wams the Govcrn iiii-ut that ''liaving regard to .the ini ri-iisi-s in prolits revealed in tlie returns of tradiug and nianufaeturing eoinjiauies, it must taekle " exorbitaut ]>rulit distrijmtion. '' Allogether 00 resolutions eall for (b.\ ei inneut lneasures to deal with jnotils and nriees before restrieting tl;e \\aqe deiuands oi' trades unions. The Devon area federatiou of the party goes furliier and demands tlie bloeking oi' all individual bank aeeounts above tl.Iiid. The (Jreenu ie]i bruneh suggest.-. ii eupit.il levy on all eapital in\ estnienl iiJiove £!ll, hihi and the Wallsend lo'aneh Uiii.ts all dividends restrieted to Ti per eent. si.x resolutions, one of them from the inlliential Royal Arsenal Cooperative Soe.i-ly, oppo.-.e any reduetion in food subdibes. Oue of these resolutions de elares that food subsidies are a nie:tns uf eul'oreing a more equitable distribut i on of weailh iind demands tliat they be used for this purpose A number of resolutions criticise the nietiiods of nppoiuting lioiirds to eon trol nationalised industries. The inlluenliul Anmlgiiniateil Lngineering l luoii has tabled a remit expressing K-giet that the boards of nationalised industries are " ])i'"doniinantly ma'nned by jiersons previously responsible foi junniug prisate industry." Tiie United 8o«-iety of Boilenn'akcrs and lrou and Steel Shipbuilders ralks for the immediate imtionalisation of ' the sjiipbuilding aiul repairing indus . tries. Two more resolutions eall for j tlie iiatiorialisation of the iron and steel induslry. I ln vieu oi' tlie vital position of the i coiilnii-niiig i-ndu.st rv in tiie nalioiiiil ! economy it is interesting to nole thal j ihe National Union oi .M ineworkers ' welcomes the Marshall Plan and >x- ' jiresse.s luyul support l'or tlie Labour Gnvei iiment. j Kleven resolutions ask for stronger | ( Jovei ulneiit aetion to curb racial dis- I ei 'iiniiiai ion and Pascist activities. ■ Three of these attack tlie Labour exe- ! cutive's i-ainpaign ngainst ( 'oniiminisis, j but two more express appiehensioii lesi ; coninuini.sm cause a split in tlie ranks nt ihe workers. A'l iliese resolutions were submUted before the recent Uom inuuist eoup in ('zecliosjovakja. Foreign affairs receive sljghtly Jess attenlion than usual. The most im portant of 15 resolutions dealing with foreign poliey is from tlie Nationa. Union of Mineworkers whicli exprosses

general apjro\al oi" Mr. Bevin's eon duct of affairs. The Gateshead brancli calls l'or tlu withdrawal of all British troops from Greece and asks tliat Russia be invited to settle the affairs of the Middle East in tull paituership with othei- meuiliers ot the I niled Nations. A number ot I otlier resolutions eall for rene-wed efl'orts to reach beUer understunding with tlie 8oviet. No fewer than 55 remits reeoounencl

various dmiiges and iiuprovement.s in the jiarty limcliinery in preparation for tfie next general oleetion. One resolution i-alls upon the national executive (o examine tlie claims of Esperanto * as can international lunguage. The conference will be held this year at Gcarborougli. commenciug on May, 17- Nr. 8hinwell as this year'a chairman of the party will preside.