THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 March 1921, Page 3

THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT.

j AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION I ; LLOYD GEORGE’S WARNING. | OF SOCIALIST LABOR. j LONDON, March 23. I Hon Lloyd George speaking at a j Coalition luncheon in the Commons, j said while military dangers existed, one new peri] was the phenomenal rise of a ■ new party of the most subversive char- ; acter. It called itself labour, but in : rerdity was socialist. The country has not fully realized the danger. It menaces both parliamentary institutions and private enterprise. The new party wanted to plant the wild poisonous seeds of Karl Marxism. In bye-elec-tions in 1920, the Coalition polled 221), 000 votes, Labour 201,000, Independent Liberals and others 122,000. A change of four per cent in the vote would put the. Socialists in a majority, and disaffection would float them into power. The Independent Liberals might plough harrow and sow, but Labour would reap.

1 ! LLOYD GEORGE'S CLAIMS. LONDON, March 24. 1 ( Mr Lloyd George, speaking at t | Coalition luncheon, contended thm ■ Labour’s speeches and press organise I tion were all engaged in stirring dis- ! satisfaction throughout the country, After the great war there were 'heavy 1 burdens to be borne. There was unemployment trouble of every kind. It was easy to foment discontent. “The Socialists are consolidating their forces,’ lie said, “while their enemies are dividing and trying to destroy each other. Unless prompt steps are taken the Labour Party will come into power, a party which has no experience, and has had no responsibility of Government, and has its policy dictated by the people, v.ho .have even less experience belli ltd them.” Mr Lloyd George concluded: “We must take every measure to instruct the electorates, which, at no distant date, will have to decide the destiny of the country.” \.Y ] I,'ISH DEBATE. LONDON, March 23. In the Homo of Commons, there was a general Irish debate. Air Asquith said the situation in Ireland has been seriously aggravated by the policy pursued by the Irish Executive Government during the last six months. The Executive methods, he said, has in a remarkable degree alienated popular sympathy from those engaged in enforcing the law. Let the Government, said Air Asquith with the approach of Easter, call a truce. Let them, without again laying down impossible conditions, get hack to the atmosphere which prevailed at Christmas. lie did not lndieve that the Irish people were bent upon a separate independent republic. He considered that an exhibition by Great Britain of a generous spirit would meet with a corresponding spirit on the other

side. Mr Lloyd George, in replying to Mr Asquith, announced that the Government were making arrangements for holding elections in the. north and south nf Ireland in May. He asserted it was not fair to say the Government’s policy n Ireland had failed, because they had lot put down rebellion in six months. Hi? said Mr Asquith himself had failed ;o do this after the Raster rebellion, hough his Government deported thousinds of Irishmen, and executed some. Die members of the Government would lave succeeded much sooner if Air Asluith had not encouraged the Irishmen. He continued that the British Government could not agree to any separite or independent Irish Republic. He claimed that the real reason for here being no negotiations for an Irish lettlement was because there was no Irish leader who had the moral courage o say he was going to abandon this •laim to a republic. He added : “It would be fatal for is if Ireland got into the hands of the tiemy.’ - Mr Lloyd George' recalled Air ,J. 11. Hiomas’s assertion that the Alallou bootings of railwaymen by Crown fore's was done the day after the military ilficer’s (King) murder. An inquiry )roved this assertion untrue, but the tory had gone throughout Ireland, the ’nited States and France, and possibly Australasia. He did not know whether is contradiction would ever appear, ill those attacks in Ireland which disredited th P military and the police rere circulated broadcast over the .hole world. It was idle to talk of fair lav for those people. Air Thomas., and Afr T. I O’Connor Kith urged the Premier to take his ourage in hotl) hands and to tell the rish people what are the conditions on •hicli he is prepared to give them nboluie self-government without any cordon of Ulster. Labour lias quickly taken up the ;loves which Air Lloyd George has hrown from him. Air Clynes says : —Afr Lloyd George’s peech is an oratorical Ivogey. It is inended to frighten the electors. Mr Ramsay McDonald says:—Mr ,|oyd George’s Bolshevik bogey of 1918 laving failed, the Prime Minister is iow starting a new one.” Afr Hvndman (Socialist) states: 1 The whole thing is humbug.” Air Will Thorne, M.P., considers that ilr Lloyd George is starting a class irar.