LABOUR’S SOCIAL POLICY.

Shannon News, 6 April 1923, Page 4

LABOUR’S SOCIAL POLICY.

MUST NOT DINE WITH OPPONENTS. HEATED DISCUSSION. LONDON, April 4. At the Labour Conference, the Scottish members submitted a motion recommending that Labour members of the House of Commons should not accept the hospitality of political opponents at public dinners or social functions, except when it was necessary for the leader of the party to meet the King on State occasions, ' After considerable discussion, the conference, by 93 votes to 90, passed the motion, after deleting all words after "functions.”

Mr Wol head (chairman) remarked. "1 thought revolution was knocking at the door.”

A motion demanding the immediate socialisation of land produced such heated differences of opinion that it was referred to the National Council. A resolution in favour of the abolition of Cabinet Government and the substitution of government by committee with Ministers as chairmen, was also referred to the Council for examination, after Mr Clias. Trevelyan, a member of the House of Commons, had urged that the party should not substitute Parliamentary chaos for Government tyranny, saying: “We do not want a pledge-bound, oath-ridden party when .we get into power. We want vita! representatives who will l.think and act for themselves.” The conference also adopted a resolution urging the Socialists and Labourites of all nations to agree to oppose any war by any Government, whatever its ostensible objects, and that the workers should down tools in event of war. A proposal to iiir elude Communists within the scope of the resolution was negatived. Resolutions that the Covenant of the League of Nations should be entirely separated from the Versailles Treaty, and that the League should pe empowered to seek a de novo settlement of the war problem; and also that the Labour Party relentlessly press forward the capital levy were also carried. MESSRS’ STRIKE BEGUN. IN RHONDDA VALLEY. (Received Thursday, 7.15 p.m.) The strike of the Rhondda Valley miners has commenced. CONSTANT STOPPAGES. 5000 MEN IDLE IN NEW SOUTH WALES. SYDNEY, April 5. The coal trade continues to suffer severely as a result of the constant stoppages. Twelve leading pits in the Maitland and Newcastle districts have been rendered idle, mostly as the result of allegedly trivial complaints on the part of the miners. It is estimated that over 5000 miners are idle on the northern coalfields. The employers were to have met the employees to-day to discuss the intermittency dispute, but they have now refused pending the resumption of work.