SOCIALIST CHARTER

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22340, 27 May 1947, Page 5

SOCIALIST CHARTER

FOUR-POINT WORLD PLAN URGED ENDING FEAR OF WAR AND WANT CHAIRMAN ADDRESSES LABOUR PARTY (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (10 a.m.) LONDON’, May 2(:>. A four-point world charter for all Socialists and Socialist Government was outlined by Mr. P. J. Noel-Baker, as the party s chairman, at the opening of the Labour Party s annual conference at Margate. • ' Its aims were:— (1) New relations of equality and trust between the people of the world. (2) Preservation of the unity of Europe. .1/(3) A new world-wide inter-continental system of economic co-operation. (4) The end of fear of war. Mr. Noel-Baker said that if fear of war could be ended, almost no/ enterprise was impossible. The irrigated acres of the Middle East could be multiplied by live or ton. W ater could be biought to the Kalahari Desert and new land made for white men and black.

Poverty Still Master Problem The engineering of all this would be child’s play compared with radar and the atomic bomb. A new world-wide, inter-continental system of economic co-operation far (more developed and ambitious than ever before was essential. Poverty was still mankind’s master problem —in New Zealand the average length of life was 67, but in much of Asia less than 30— yet if Western science and methods of production could be applied, a pool of wealth would be created to free all lands from want. Britain’s strength lay in her people, in her links with the Dominions, snd in her friendships with the nations beside whom she stood for justice in the past. Mr. Noel-Baker 'said that no foreigner should believe that Britain was down and out Her people were healthier, better educated and more inventive than ever before. “We have seen managers, workers and consumers responding to the Government’s call, lorry-drivers and shunters beating blizzards, bargees, coastal seamen, cranemen and dockers beating ice, and miners getting the coal. That is economic democracy in action.’ Unusual Behind-Scenes Wrangle There was an unusual wrangle behind the scenes before Mr. Noel-Baker could deliver his address at the opening session of the conference, says the Evening Standard. Some of Mr. Noel-Baker’s Cabinet colleagues saw the text of the address and thought it gave far too gloomy a picture of the situation and would sadly depress the delegates. One party member said: “He seemed to present the difficulties confronting the Government as though they were the Government’s own achievements.” Mr. Noel-Baker’s colleagues urged him to change it. At first he declined,

but agreed, after pressure from Mr. Attlee. There were 2255 delegates at the conference. The conference rejected by a large majority a resolution advocating the recognition of party members) rights to become members of the British Soviet Society. Mr. Walter Nash, conveying greetings from the New Zealand Labour movement, said: “We believe that the load Britain is carrying, financially and otherwise, in the post-war world is unfair and unjust. We will do all we can to find a different road where the load is carried more proportionately. “We cannot have privileged nations. We have got to see there is no poverty nor fear.” Extension of Publicity A large proportion of the original 500 motions have 1 disappeared in favour of 24 composite ones. Apart from the economic crisis, the subject on which there has been most discussion is the. national executive’s plan for the party’s development and finance, which is to be put before a private session of the conference on Tuesday. This proposes a great extension of the party’s publicity organisation. To help meet the cost, a levy of Is a head is suggested. Already the miners have decided to contribute £20,000 immediately. It is also intended to greatly increase the number of full-time election agents and otherwise extend the party s machinery.