THE TRADES UNION MEETING.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 January 1916, Page 5

THE TRADES UNION MEETING.

THE MOVEMENT OF LABOE. Received Jan. 7, 5.5 p.m. London, Jan. (!. The Trades Union Congress, which lias opened at Westminster, will discuss a motion affirming the Bristol resolution, and deploring the disimifying actions of coir,piilsioni«l«, and TWOKiiising that Mr. A«i|>ii'h's pie should he governed It? Lord Derby's results. Also, liiMudi those had not yet justified a Compulsion Bill, it is concluded that Labm-ites should lie left to vote individually as the-,' thought lit. Mr. lloiiivc, M.P., in moving Ihe motion, said he coii-ddered that voluntaryism had not failed, hut still the only alternative to the Government 1.1111 would he a (jcner.il election on the issue of conscription, which would he one of the worst day's work in the Labor Party's history. Mr. Loxton, in seconding, said Ihe war must he won outright. The Government's proposal was one of the flabbiest, and everyone affected by the Bill would eventually find that he possessed a conscience.

PROTEST AGAINST COMPULSION.

CAIHiJED BY HUGE MAJORITY. P.eeeivotl Jan. 7, ,"..'! p.m. London, Jan. (1. Mr. Thomas, M.P., said he must ignore the threat of a general election, and ho ivould refuse to carry out his instruction to support the Bill. Mr. Henderson said that if the Congress decided that he must oppose the Bill he would refuse to do so, and would ask his constituents to endorse his action.

Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald said it was impo.ssiblp to have conscription of tins unmarried men without the married men. He opposed compulsion and the Bill.

The conference, hy I,fiDS,OOO voles to 783,000, adopted .the amendment reaffirming the decision of the brisloi Congress, unanimously protesting in the mime of tlirin million organised work ers against compulsion, characterising the Government proposals as economically disastrous to the life of the nation, and recommending Parliament to oppose the measure in all its stages.

MR. HENDERSON'S VIEWS, Received Jan. 7, 5.5 p.m. London, Jan. 0. At the Congress, Mr. Henderson said: We have readied a crisis in the history of the nation, and a greater crisis in the history of our own movement. There are people in the audience who would like to see us win the war. There are also anti-warites. Lord Kitchener wanted by the spring thirty thousand recruits a week, and also thirty thousand a week fill the end of the year, or a total of a. million and a half. Would the Conference place its opinion against Lord Kitchener's!

Mr. Henderson added: 1 would rather have a by-election than oppose the Bill. Mr. Philip Suowden can come to my cpn-iitueney and fight the issue."

After main- interruptions and heated exchanges, Mr. Henderson said: "Is there a In.li) who dare vole for the releasing of rm.W) attested married men? Had 1 left my colleagues in the Cabinet it would have meant breaking the coalition. •■'

Mr. Thomas said: "A general election would be a crime against those serving in the trenches."

DELAY ADVOCATED. RAID ON BACHELORS OttOJID. Received Jan. 7. 11.50 p.m. London, Jan., 7. Tho Daily News and Chronicle urge delay over compulsion in order to avoid disunion. The Chronicle suggests that the Bill should compel bachelors to appear before the tribunals and give reasons lor not attesting. GOOD ENOUGH. Received dan. 7. 11.45 p.m. London, Jan. 7. The Dailv Chronicle interviewed Sir (i. JI. Keid, who said that Lord Kitchener's, Mr. Asquith's, anil Mr. Bonar Law's assurance that compulsion will be necessary to bring the war to a successful conclusion was good enough for the Australians, if.not for other*. The Chronicle says'that Sir Geo. Keid will be welcomed in Westminster as a great Imperialist. THE LABORITES. deceived Jan. 8, 12.30 a.m. London, Jan. 7. Mr. Henderson will explain in the House of Commons on Tuesday why he and his colleagues have resigned from the Cabinet. Twelve Laborites supported the Compulsion Bill. The Minority included forty-one Liberals and forty-eight Nationalists.

PARLIAMENT AND REGISTRATION BILL. DISCUSSED BY UPPER HOUSE. AN ABSURD SITUATION. Received Jan. 7, 8.1)5 pinLondon, Jan. fi. In tho House of Lords, Mil Crewe, discussing the Parliament and Registration Bill, said it was based on the principle that the majority of the Iseople did not want a general election. Some members of the Hou-:c of Commons were demanding a move strictly National Government, but an election would not be useful, for it would be merely an opportunity for a welter of personalities directed against individuals.

Lord St. Aldivyn commented on the fact (hat the Parliament Act had created an absurd situation, for the House of Lords would now be able to determine (he life of the House, of Commons.

I.ord Bryoe pointed out that the measure would he an unfortunate throw back into the cauldron of agitation over party differences. Lord Lansdowne said nobody could possibly desire to have an election forced upon a reluctant country. The House of Lords would not stand in the way when the. time came if the people desired a change of Government. The Plural Voting Bill was dead, and it would he impossible to introduce that contentious measure immediately after peace