AGAINST EMPIRE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 202, 19 April 1932, Page 2

AGAINST EMPIRE

DISLOYAL UTTERANCES AT N.S.W. LABOUR CAUCUS. MU. DE VALERA AND MR. LANG. SYDNEY, March 31. After reading the amazing speeches . made at the annual conference of the New South Wales branch of the Australian Labour Partyj which claims the Premier, Mr. Lang, as its leader, the people of the State can have no illusions in regard -to the party's attitude toward the Empire and all it means to loyal citizens. The debate opened with a bitter denunciation of the Minister of Education, Mr. Davies, himself a Labour man, for permitting patriotic speeches at the schools on Empire Day, and a motion was carried demanding the abolition of the Empire Day celebrations in the schools and of the flag-saluting ceremony. Then followed violent speeches against the Empire and slighting references to Queen Victoria. The Education Committee submitted to the conference a remarkable report in which it condemned the education system generally. "We realise," it was stated, "that the education of our children is controlled and designed by a capitalistic State with the object of perpetuating the pernicious system of individualism, selfishness and classsnohbery." University Matters. Reference was also made to a previous demand for amendments to the laws regulating the university. These included a reorganisation of the Senate, giving the Government greater control and excluding the professors, and the limitation of seholarships to students whose parents did not have an income exceeding a certain amount. The Government was condemned for not bringing about these "desirable reforms." Referring to Empire Day, the report stated. "It is hard to understand how the singing of 'Rule Britannia' ; and Kipling's 'Recessional,' with its reference to law,' is compatible with the Minister's instructions that the day should be devoted to peace propaganda. Whatever were the Minister's intentions, Imperialistic bureaueracy saw to it in the main that the old jingoistic procedure was adhered to. "The committee has evidence of junior teachers being victimised and , insulted by jingoistic headmasters because they exercised their right not to salute the flag. The conference should consider ways and means of compelling the Minister to observe the wishes of the conference. Thanks to our efforts the hrass hats and military officers were absen't from the Empire Day celebrations at the schools. The clergymen present, however, were more militaristic than the military in their jingoistic utterances." References to Ireland. Mr. A. W. Thompson, representing the millc and ice carters, after condemning the Minister, said: "The Empire Day celebrations have no significance for the Labour Party. They should be abolished. It is up to the Minister to do it. If he will not, then let us appoint someone with the courage to do it." The conference pledged its support to the Irish people in their fight for self-determination." The fight of the Irish people, it was said, was the same as that of the people of New South Wales, who might be faced with armed intervention if the Upper House was abolished. De Valera was throwing down the gauntlet to Great Britain, and those who were consistent in their attitude to Mr. Lang must support De Valera and the Irish people. De Valera was putting up a fight similar to that of Mr. Lang in Australia.