A LABOUR PROTEST

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 27, 31 July 1936, Page 3

A LABOUR PROTEST

ON BRITISH POLICY.

"DISASTROUS" CAUSE

Under th 2 title of "The Great Betrayal" the Parliamentary Labour Party has issued the following manifesto to the nation (said "The Times" on Jiyie 19): — • ■■-'■' The League of Nations, to' which this country is in honour, and by deep conviction pledged; is now: in rgrave danger. The whole future of the League and the peace of the world, are at stake. The British ■ Government has scrapped the solemn'pledges given j to. the paople b'afore; during, and after the last General Election. : In its election manifesto the Government declared • that "the League uf Nations will remain as heretofore t&e keystone 'of British foreign policy. Our attitude to the League is dictated by the conviction that collective security can alone save us from a return to the old system which resulted in the Great War." - i In spite of this emphatic statement, the Government/having first by their ,weak and ambiguous policy at Stresa and Geneva failed to prevent Sighor i Mussolini's aggression,, and then, made his military success possible by the continued supply of oil and other necessaries of war, is preparing not only to condone njgression and to permit Signor Mussolini to profit-by it, but to abandon the whole system of.collective security through the League, without which there is no sure foundation forHhe peace of the world. I The Government is advocating the delimitation of the functions of the League and the withdrawal of Britain, from all responsibility for the maintenance of peace outside certain narrow areas in which, it says, this country has special interests. '.■■", I The adoption of such a disastrous ■policy will be to encourage the breaking of treaties and new acts of aggression, to set free lawless forces, and Ito revert to the discredited policy of. I the balance of power. The League of 'Nations will be reduced to, an empty sham, and the hope of the peoples Of the world for a new end secure international order and a reign. of peaca will be shamelessly betrayed. Millions will be doomed to death,' and civilisation to utter and final'destruction, "A NEW APPROACH TO PEACE." The drift to war must be stopped. I£ the rule of law is to prevail aggression cannot be tolerated. " This.grave crisis should be courageously used' as a great opportunity to rehabilitate tha j League and to make a new and; determined approach to peace. :■ - . ■"" It is not yet too,late for the people of this country to prevent, the impend-' ing catastrophe as they successfully prevented only a few months; ago,the consummation of the disgraceful -Hoare-Laval proposals. -.-. v - ■ We earnestly appeal in this critical1 hour to all men and women of good will through their churches, brotherhoods, and sisterhoods, societies, clubs, guilds, and other organisations to rally in their millions to the defence of collective security, peace, and justice through the League of Nations. Let them in the next few days,;before the fateful meetings of. the Cpuncil arid Assembly of the League, make their voices clearly and . unmistakably; heard through public .demonstration's.' resolutions, and letters to the Press, to the Prune Minister, ; and to mem- ■ bers of Parliament. •'•(-. ' | In particular, we urgently call upon ■ the whole Labour movement throughout the country to make; the strongest public protests, without a moment's de- • lay, and by every method: which lies • to their hands, against' the Govern- ! ment's wanton violation of the sol-. • emn pledges on the strength of which. ! it was returned to power and against 1 the threatened surrender of its re--1 sponsibilities for preserving and organising peace. Action must be immedi- : ate! Action must be vigorous! Above ell, action must be successful if our hopes of world peace are -not to be , dashed for ever to the ground. i NATIONAL LABOUR VIEW. The "News Letter," the official organ 1 of the National Labour Group, contains '■ in its current issue the following editorial comment:— 1 Mr. Chamberlain's "personal and provisional" thoughts on sanctions have | fluttered a good many dovecotes. It is interesting,, and even flattering, to ' note that he followed much the same ■ lines as we did ourselves in a recent 1 issue, which within our own domestic 1 circle provoked a similar restiveness. ; The problem which'confronts the Goy- • eminent, and, indeed, the Governments • of all members of the League, is so 1 difficult and so serious that it-is all ; to the good that the public should be ; as-well-informed as possible, on each j of the various courses open ; and their 1 Drobable consequences. Is the League at this twelfth hour to intensify sane- ; tions at the risk of. war? It is scarce- ■ ly likely to agree now upon a course - from which it shrank when. all was ; still to be won. Can sanctions, even - if they have failed to prevent success- | ful aggression, still influence the ;final ' terms of settlement, and will ■ they leave behind economic .scars which 1 may to some extent deter a future ag--1 gressor? As to that only those in. ; the closest touch.with the situation ; can know the answer. ■ ■ Finally, and most important of all; what should those nations -who still . look to the League •as the best, hope t of future peace do with regard to "tha I future? What kind of protective ffon* i against aggression , can now be con* i structed? We must, as the Lord Fiir . sident said at Cardiff, "stand by. th? t League," for a world without it would ; be "a nightmare of uncertainty." Cleari ly, however, as he also stated, we need > methodically to re-examine Article i XVi, and to consider under what con- > dition a sanctions clause can work t more effectively than it has done on - this occasion. The debate will doubt- : less give an indication as to how the : Government proposes to handle the > very difficult situation which con- . fronts it. We are facing, a perilous I future, and Government • and public ; must know each other's minds if they > are to face it with confidence.