BRITISH POLITICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 January 1924, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

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LABOURITE ON WAR DANGER

LONDON, Jan. 19. Air J. H. Thomas, in the Audrct i in Reply debate, said the Labour-Par tv would not apologise for associating itself with international Labour. It would use all efforts to give o common "*V organisation to the M-orld so as to bring the peoples together, and enable them to understand each other. Then it would lie more difficult to start a war'. British prestige was lower to-day than ever before. In Central Europe, he asserted, a situation was being ere*—• a led requiring British expenditure, on * defence. It Mas asked how would Labour deal M'ith France, implying it would he war but it was not real friendship to pretend all was welU when it Mas not so. If thep believed France m:is heading for disaster, they should say so. God forbid his ivordr should be held to mean Labour was anxious to break with France, or tnlk x of war. It was not surprising France disbelieved the British Government, and treated them with contempt, oiving to their vacillation. It was 'rubbish to say Labour’s first steps as a Government would be to corrupt the army, navy or police, or to abolish marriage and introduce free love. The experience of responsibility would be good for Labour. They would M-ork to make a country worthy of the citizens who showed patriotism in the time of

greatest trial. Mr X. Chamberlain urged Labour not to dismiss hastily the imperial preference proposals. LONDON, Jan. 19. In connection M'ith Air Churchill’s letter, it is noteworthy that the Parliamentary industrial group have given notice of an amendment to the ad-dress-in-reply, saying that as the overM'helming majority of the members returned are definitely pledged against. Socialism, it would lie a violation of , the expressed will of the electorate to place in power a Government which manifestly cannot, on its own declared policy, effectively carry on the administration.