UNEMPLOYMENT BILL

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 138, 7 December 1929, Page 9

UNEMPLOYMENT BILL

RANK AND FILE RESTIVE

EMERGENCY ACTION-

United Press Association—By Electric Tele-

graph—Copyright.

LONDON, 6th December.

The House of Commons devoted the evening to tho Committee stage of the Unemployment Insurance Bill. After a heated debate in connection with tho "genuinely seeking work" condition, tho Government was faced with an open revolt on the part of its back-benchers, including representatives of the big trade unions, which would have certainly entailed defeat. Miss Bondfield, Minister of Labour, hurriedly _ retired with the AttorneyGeneral, Sir William Jowitt, and when, she returned she announced the withdrawal of the whole of the sub-clause for redrafting. Labour members argue that the subsection opened the door to administrative persecution. Sir William Jowitt replied that they must encourage the spirit of self-help. They could not legislate on the lines that those who were unemployed need only sit at home and smoke pipes until work was found. He admitted there was a difficulty in granting what was required. Mr. Philip Snowden, by special request, will meet the recalcitrants today, when ho will bo faced with demands not only from tho Clydesiders. but from the trade union members, who constitute about 75 per cent, of the strength of tho Labour Party in the Houso of Commons. The trade union members demand that the waiting period before the benefit is available should be three instead of six days. It is estimated this will cost four millions a year. Last night's debate caused Mr. Earnsay Mac Donald many anxious moments. The rank and file seemed determined to defeat the Ministers unless they surrendered.