A Political Parting Analysed

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 148, 18 March 1939, Page 1 (Supplement)

A Political Parting Analysed

1 1 _ CANNOT be persuaded,” said Sir Stafford Cripps, commenting on J his expulsion from the British Labour Party, “that in this time I of crisis it is right for any party so to insist upon the full measure I and detail of its particular doctrines and policies as to make such a concentrated opposition impossible. “The time is ripe in this country for a great forward mivement towards democracy and peace, a movement in which, the Labour Party should be the largest and most important factor. “It is because I am determined to go forward with the advocacy of this, I believe the sole means of saving our civilization, that my membership of the Labour Party has been terminated by the executive.” “Sir Stafford.” states the "Daily Herald,” “is used to gaining cheers in strange ways and from strange associates.

“Not so long ago it was for declaring that Labour could not come to power without a first-class financial crisis. A little later for telling the world that he did not think it would be a bad thing for the British working classes if Nazi Germany defeated us-in war.

“No wonder the Conservative Press deplores Sir Stafford’s departure from the Labour movement.

“He is welcome to whatever praise he gets from such quarters. What is not easy to forgive is his refusal to answer the appeal after appeal which was made to him to drop his campaign, bring his proposals before the party conference and abide by its decision.

“Let us be done quickly with debate about him and get on with our real job of making Socialists.”

Mr. John Marchbank, General Secretary of the National Union of Rail waymen, in an article in the “Railway Review,” says:—

“Sir Stafford Cripps and his friends choose the very moment when our organized forces are called upon to rally their energies in a great, united campaign to offer defeatist counsels to the rank and file. They urge the Labour Party to reverse the policy and propaganda they have followed for forty years.

“They try to coerce the. party’s national executive to take the initiative

in forming a coalition with the fragmented and splintered bits broken from the parties in coalition against them. If this is not treachery, at this time and in these circumstances, what Is it? It is either that or sheer imbecility.

“Those who cannot see that in forcing an issue of this description under the political conditions now prevailing they are assisting the conspiracy to undermine the solidarity of Labour and thus to destroy its political influence and bring our movement to a standstill have no title to advise and lead the workers.”

“Only at Transport House,” points out the “News Chronicle,” "does anyone believe that Labour, unaided, can unseat the Government at the next election. Even if a miracle happened, and it were to do so. it could not hope to pass through one Parliament more radical measures than would be included in an agreed Opposition policy.

“If the aggressive designs of the dictators bring this country to war the Labour Party will be forced to abandon its Socialism temporarily and close the national ranks. Why not close the Opposition ranks now, while it may still be possible to avert war?”

“To spare Sir Stafford on previous occasions for sponsoring the revolutionary views of the doctrinaire Left extremists,” says the "Economist, “and to axe him now for stating, quite democratically, widely-known and important, if unpalatable, truths is simply the measure of the Labour Party’s political ineptitude.

“They are unable to win elections. They are indeed unwilling to win elections. Wrapped in the cloak of an outworn and -exclusive creed, they are content that the Government should enjoy an unrepresentative [wwer in Parliament. They are conducting a platform campaign against the Government’s foreign policy, but their actions speak louder than their words.

“Mr. Eden and Mr. Churchill are still members of the Conservative Party in spite of their heresies; and the sacrifice of Sir Stafford to the Pharisees strengthens the more tolerant Tories just .when it is all-important that the division of public opinion should be precisely represented by tin balance of political forces.”