"TITTLE-TATTLE."

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1791, 2 July 1913, Page 7

"TITTLE-TATTLE."

ABOUT LABOUR PARTY'S MANIFESTO. BY-ELECTION MUDDLE. By Telefraph—l'rera Association-Copyright London, June 30. Sir Maurice Lovy, Liberal M.P. for tho Loughborough Division of Leicestershire, in a letter in reply to Mr. Ramsay MacDonald's remark about "tittlo-tatitlc," assumes the responsibility for telephoning the manifesto of the National Executive of the Labour party regarding itho Leicester election 011 tho authority of a leading Independent Labour 11.1'., with a request toiannounce it as the result of the Labour party's iiKCiting, tho M.P. in question assuring him that he had tiad 110 official repudiation of it Sir Maurice adds: "The manifesto was written practically at my informant's dictation." The '"Dimes" states itliat Jlr. G. Roberta (Independent Labour M.P. for Norwich) drafted the manifesto. Mr. Keii Hardio (Lcadc-r of tho Labour party), speaking at Cardiff, said ho did not know -why the Independent Labour party had no candidate for the Leicester scat. Tho question was still unsettled, but lie would report on the matter in a fow days' time, lie also said ho did not know why the party had failed to support the British Socialist party's candidate, but added that if the latter party stood outside the working-class movement it was not entitled to support from those it despised. There was no agreement between tho Labour party and the Liberals regarding either double or single member constituencies. It was previously stated that the National Executive of the Labour party denied that it had issued a, manifesto regarding tho by-election, for the Leicester seat. Jlr. C. I'\ Masterman, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, in a speech at Leicester, declared that, technically, it was inacciwate to say that tho executive had issued a manifesto, but tho Parliamentary Labour party's committee had decided to condemn Jlr. Hartley's candidature. Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald, speaking at Leicester, said there was absolutely 110 foundation for the manifesto, or Mr. Mnsterman's amended explanation. The whole story was the outcome of tittletattle The British Labour party originated in 1900 under the name of tho Lobour Representation Committee .as the result of a oonferenco of representatives of trade unionism, Socialism, and co-operation called by direction of the Trade Unions Congross of the previous year. Several seats' won at by-elections, and after tho successes of the general election of. 1906, when 31 seats were gained, the name was changed to the Labour party. Tho Labour partv must be distinguished from tho Independent Labour party, or Socialist organisation, which is aflihatedto it. Tho main body of English Socialists is enrolled with the Independent .Labour party, which was established at Bradford 111 1893, with the- object of securing tho oollectivo ownership of the means of production and 'exchange by means of direct Labour representation in Parliament and on local authorities. The "1.L.P." consists entirely of Socialists, but in' conjunction with the Fabians and the Chief Trade Union organisations it helped to form, in 1900, the Labour Representation Committee (now known as tho Labour party). Of this larger organisation the "1.L.P." is regarded as the_ driving force. The tendency lately lias "been to select tho leaders in the Trade Union movement from members of the "1.L.P."