UNION WRECKERS.

Grey River Argus, 16 February 1927, Page 5

UNION WRECKERS.

BRITISH TORY PLANS. Princes interested. (Received February 15 at 7.45 p.m.) LONDON, February 13. The debate on the Addressrin-Reply was resumed in the House of Commons by Rt. Hou Air. Clyues, who moved an amendment condemning the proposals of the fact in regard to the industrial unions. While Mr. Clyues was speaking the Prince of Wales and Prince George entered and took their seats over the clock. Mr. Clynes said that the Government was attacking Trade* Unionism without having any mandate to do so. He pointed out that in the seven bye-elec-tions since the general election, the; total vote in favour of the Government’s candidates has been 75,000, and that the vote against the. Government have totalled 109 thousand. Lt would, he said, the better therefore to leave* the question to the judgment the electorates. Mr. Clyne maintained that the Trades Union officers had shown themselves as serviceable and as enective as any people on behalf of the industrial brace. Tne general strike, he said, was uot the result of anti-agitation, but was that due to the miners ’ lockout. Since 1921, he said, trades unionism had been consistently on the defensive. Ine Government have encouraged wage reductions. Tho Government did not, discourage the aggressive action taken on the part of the employers. There was ho country in the world where the industrial conditions were better than in England, or where the disputes were fought out with greater, common sense. Mr. Baldwin, the Premier, said that he was particularly anxious to have this discussion, in order to learn the views of the whole house. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald said he considered that the Government should immediately reply to the debate in order that the House might be aware ot his intentions. It would, he eaid, be bad Parliamentary practice if the Gov eminent said no word of reply till the end of the debate.

Sir John Simon (Liberal) said that the Labourities would have to make i p their minds as to whether or not the\ def cm led general strike as an instrument for use in trade disputes. If they did not, a good deal could be said ft r leaving the whoje thing alone. He pro nosed the Government legislation "would not attack the heart of the industrial problem. This legislation resembled a Hague Convention. It meant defining rules, of war, when what was wanted was to inculcate a spirit that would prevent war. It would be tar better it the, Trades Union Movement where re formed from within.