MOMENTOUS DEBATE OPENS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 16, 19 January 1924, Page 7

MOMENTOUS DEBATE OPENS

MR. CLYNES MOVES VOTE OF NO-CONFIDENCe

SIGNIFICANT REFERENCE TO DOMINIONS

LIBERAL LEAJDER URGES SUPPORT OF LABOUR

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPIHIdIH.) (REtJTER'S TEISGJUM.)

(Received 19th January, noon.) ' LONDON, 18th January. lii the House of Commons, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York entered the Peers' Gallery as Mr. Clynes was speaking on the Labour motion of noconfidence. ■ •• ' The momentous debate opened qnietly, and there were many vacant,seate owing to the fact, that the division had been arranged for Monday night.' Mr. Clynes's indictment of the Government's foreign policy did not raise a single Labour cheer. The first sign of life was when Mr. Clynes aroused general cheers by a reference to the Dominions. He said that Mr. M.ydonald on Tuesday gave his assurance Aat the pledges, so far as made, would be carried out, and the House given a full opportunity of deciding the important issue raised. TRADE OF DOMINIONS Mr. Clynes's own view was that the Dominions' trade showed substantial opportunities for, and prospects of, improvement. He emphasised the necessity for not neglecting the European markets, but, when we had done our best with our neighbours, he agreed that in some sense a special duty remained, in relation to thevDominions. The question was. how far we could stimulate the trade of the Dominions without increasing: taxation and. disturbing the^ foundations of the fiscal system. We must inquire into alternatives. Transport improvements constituted one line of policy/and, perhaps, substantial encouragement to Dominion fellow-workers might be found in revealing by inquiry or otherwise the facts concerning the questiqn where went the enormous difference between what the Dominions' producer of food got for his labour, and what the consumer here paid for it. Such avenue's of exploration should receive the purely non-paitisau attention of all. . The Conferences hitherto had been a close Government preserve, ignoring the grpwing interest of Labour. IE we were to lift Dominion' considerations to a non-party level, there must be far- more 'conferences on1 non-party lines: ■■'■ - •■■'•.■ ■' ■• .-*■■ ■•■ • • , QUESTION OF EMIGRATION The question 'of emigration was involved, and the consequences of a Voluntary transference of population must be seriously considered. Anything of the sort must be carried out on terms mutually agreed upon. He was satisfied that such terms would benefit Labour both Jlere and in the Dominions. The terms must include adequate training, and technical and general education for the new duties, a satisfactory remuneration, and security of employment for the worker before the latter could agree to enjigrate. He concluded by disclaiming any dosire of the Labour Party to foster class strife. •.•..-•■ POLITICAL HYSTERIA Mr. Asquith roused the Opposition to enthusiasm by advising his supporters to vote in favour of the motion to eject ■ a Government guilty of vacillation and impotence at home: and abroad. He had not known an administration which had done more actual mischief. There had been recently, ha said, an epidemic of political hysteria. He had been cajoled, wheedled, almost caressed, threatened, browbeaten, and all but blackmailed to bo the "saviour of society," but he declined to.>believe that the sun was going to set on the prosperity of Britain on the eva.of Mr. Macdonald's coming into office. NO COALITION OR FUSION Translated into plain prose, the phrase "saviour of society" meant the Liberals : and Conservatives combining to keep Labour out. Continuing, he said that there could be no question of coalition or fusion between the Liberal and Labour Parties,' because it was impossible to bridge the differences on fundamental issues of national policy, but on many social and national questions there was room for co-operation not only of Liberal and Labour members but also of many Conservatives. CRYiNG NEED OF THE TIME Mr. Frank Hodges (Lab.), in a maiden speech, dealt chiefly in abstract form I with Labour's political aspirations. He referred depreeatingly to -the Liberals' sympathetic attitude . towards the Labour Party, recalling on this-point recent Liberal associations with Labour. Ha declared that the scientific organination of industry was tho, oryiiig" political] need. : i A Conservative, Mr. Gould, severely criticised the Government's advisers and indicted sumo of the Conservatives. He '• would support the Amendment. He'assured Mi!. Baldwin that he bad not been silent when the matter of holdiiig the election had been thrashed out elsewhere. ■ ■ LESSONS OF V CONFERENCE Sir Philip Lloyd-Greamo (Con.) expressed delight with.-Mr. Clynes's speech nbout Empire development and emigra-1 tiun. Tlic Imperial Conference . had ' mado it perfectly clear that whatever schemes of- financial cooperation offered to the Dominions might be, tho latter could not net thereon, unless they saw a way for markets in Britain. Sir J?hilip uskecl what would bo the effect of re-' jecting 'Hits preference proposed at the Conference on a far greater preference i at present given us by the Dominions, j Ho pointed out that in 1922 the value of the rebates on duty given by tho Dom* inions to Britain exceeded £11,250,000. General Smuts and Ml1. Bruce warned us in most proper and natural terms of tho commercial udvunces made by other ', Governments, which they had hitherto j refused. He commended tho Conference j proposals on the double ground of good business and common sentiment. AGAINST SOCIALISM In the House of Commons Mr. Cooper Rawson gave notice of an amendment to the Labour no-confidence amendment, "That boforo any_ Ministry founded upon principles of Socialism be formed a gen-

eral election on the issue of Socialism should bo held first." Sir William Joynson Hicks stressed the fact that the country's emphatic rejection of any Socialists for office would prevent the Liberal Party from coming into office for a hundred years. General Seely suggested a conference of leadere of the parties with a high judicial authority to consider the political situation. The House adjourned.