LABOUR CONGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1042, 3 February 1911, Page 5

LABOUR CONGRESS.

PROTEST AGAINST GROWING' ARMAMENTS. UTILITY OF A GENERAL STRIKE. Bi TelecraDH-Pross Associallon-Gopyrlshl. London, February 1. The Labour Coniercnco at Leicester adojitcil ii retolu'ion .submitted by tho executive protesting against tho growing armaments-, and recommending arbitration in inlerimtioiinl disputes. Mr. Keir Hardie, ,M.l>. f or Mprthyr Tyilvil* moved mi amendment to consult tho organised workers of tho world as to tho utility of a general strike, as a means of preventing any given war. Tho ameudmeht was rejected by 1"5 votes to 119. Mr. .Jnrvis declared that if wars between countries were, inhuman, so wero labour wars. If they condemned militarism they ought to provido means of defence. Messrs. Shaw, Clitheroe, Austen, and Henderson (M.P. for Barnard Castle) strongly opposed a general strike. . Tho conference urged the Government, to endeavour to-prevent tho capture of privalo property during. maritime warfare. TEE OSBORNE JUDGMENT. London, February 1. Reports submitted to tho conference showed that tho membership had decreased by 50,000 owing to the judgment in tho Osboruo case, which declared compulsory levies liy trado unions for political purposes illegal. Tho Parliamentary Fund at tho beginnings of the year amounted to .£II,OOO. THE RIGHT TO WORK. PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATES. (Rec. February 2, 9.15 p.m.) London, February 2. ■ Mr. W. C. Robinson, in his presidential address at the Leicester Labour Conference, said they would not necept .assurance against unemployment through sickness or other palliatives as a. substitution for the right to work guaranteed by the State..

The conference recorded its indignation at recent executions in Japan of twelve persons who woro found guilty of. an Anarchist plot against the Imperial Household. , ~- ■ A proposal to : allow the party's candidates to appear beforo the constituencies as Labour, or Labour and Socialist, instead of Labour candidates only,' was rejected, as was also a resolution'intended to stiffen the attitude of Labour members of Parliament against Ministerial pres'sure.