LABOR'S VOICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 August 1920, Page 5

LABOR'S VOICE.

THE MESSAGE TO BRITAIN. PARLIAMENT TAKES EXCEPTION. (By Wire.—Parliamentary Reporter.) <. Wellington, Last Night., In the House this afternoon, {Mr. D. Jones (Kaiapoi) asked the Prime .Minister whether lie had seen the telegram received by the Labor Party from the "Council of Action," and the reply to it from New Zealand. If so, what action did he propose to take concerning it? Mi*. Massey relied: "I have seen the paragraph to which the honorable gentleman has referred, and 1 wish to say that I regret exceedingly that any members of the New Zealand Parliament, however few their numbers may be, should express aproval, and by expressing approval, assist apparently a small section

Mr. Fraser: "Six million workers." Mr. Massey: "The honorable member has no more right to speak for the workers than any other member of the House. I hope I shall not be interrupted again. I was sayiug\ I regret that members of the New Zealand Parliament, fojr expressing approval of the action of a small section of people in the United Kingdom, should»assist in harassing the Imperial Government at a most serious crisis in the history of the Empire. "Now that I have the opportunity, I wish to say that I believe that 90 per cent, of the population of this country—perhaps even a larger number—are thoroughly loyal. (Hear, hear.) They are opposed to Bolshevism, Sinn Feinistn. LW.W.-ism, and all the other 'isms' with which the civilised countries' of Hie world have been afflicted in the past few years. I hope there will, be no more of this sort of thing. I know the people of this country are prepared to stand by the imperial Government in every way possible to prevent the disintegration of the Empire, which seems to he the aim of those few wilh whom the honorable member has been corresponding."

"A SERIOUS INCIDENT." Mr. W. A. Veitch (a few minutes later): "I wish to mention again the matter raised by the member for Kaiapoi in connection with the message that has been cabled to Kngland, purporting to represent the opinion of the workers of New Zealand with respect to certain events of Imperial importance happening just now. I am not going to discuss the matter now, but I regard it as an exceedingly serious_ incident in the history of this country, dealing as it does with one of the most serious incidents, perhaps, in the British Empire. I wish to ask the Prime Minister if he will give this. House an opportunity, by resolution or otherwise, of expressing an opinion on the matter."

Mr. Massey: "I shall be glad to take the honorable member's suggestion into consideration."

Mr. D. O'Sullivan: "I wish to ask the Prime Minister, in view of the large number of by-elections won by the Labor Party in Great Britain during the past two years, what evidence he has that the Labor Party, to whose action he has just taken exception, represents a small and disloyal section of the community, and what evidence he has that the attitude of the 'Council of Action' in Great Britain has not the approval of the majority of the people of Great Britain."

Mr. Masse?: "I apeak fnm my own personal and I believe that the persons referred, to by the honorable members are no more representative of publiq opinipn In Britain, or of the workers of Britain, than the small section of members who sit in that corner (pointing to the Labor benches) are representative of New Zealand."

LABOR'S VIEW, Mr. Fraser: "I desire to ma"ke a personal explanation, as the first signatory to the telegram which has been read. I received this telegram £row Mr. Adamson, a member of the British House of Commons, the representative of West Fife, I believe, anl one of the leading mining representatives of Great Britain. At the conference were present two ex-members of tie British Cabinet, Mr. Clynes and Mr. Henffefson, and leading representatives of trades unions and the workers of Great Britain, and if such communications are received from men representing bodies of workers by any organisation of which I am a member, then I am going to reply, whatever the consequences." Mr. Speaker had risen to call Mr. Eraser to order, his statement being not all in the nature of personal explanation, and MT. Fraser, disregarding th« action of the Speaker, shouted the last few words of his statemeat.

THE ACTION EXPLAINED. BOLSHEVISM NOT APPROVED. By TolesMplj.—Pres.' Asan. —Copstlght. Received August 20, 8.15 p.m. Loudon, August IS. Mr. J. R. Clynes, in An article in the Standard, denies that Labor dragged at the heels of extremists. He says it never gave anything more spontaueous support than the ''Council of Action," which "did violence to no principle we fought for. We do not approve of the act of the Bolsheviks, nor of the principles and conditions of the Soviet Government, nor do we wish in any degree to see our own country imitating crude and fantastics plans in establishing a Communistic state. Labor is .entitled to call its peace policy secure by refusing to be a party to a war policy of any other sectioD, and to use any particular form of influence exertable upon the Government."—United Service.