MR. STANLEY WILSONI beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether the public demonstration of the Civil Servants Socialist Society at Lambeth Baths, on Friday, 27th March, was held with his approval; whether he is aware that a postal servant took the chair, and whether he is aware that the objects of this society are to preach Socialism amongst Civil servants.
§ THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. SYDNEY BUXTON,) Tower Hamlets, PoplarI have made inquiry about the 1249 meeting to which the hon. Member draws my attention. It was apparently a meeting which the public, and not merely members of the Service were invited to attend. I have pointed out to the chairman of the meeting, who was a Post Office servant, and to the secretary of the society in question, that when such societies hold or organise public meetings with the object of advancing certain political views among the public in general and not merely among members of the Service, there is an infringement of the Regulations on the part of the members of the Service responsible for such action.
MR. STANLEY WILSONMay I ask whether in view of the privileges which are allowed to Socialists in the Post Office, the right hon. Gentleman will now alter his decision, and either allow equal rights to all political organisations or do away with then, entirely?
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONI am sorry that I have been so singularly unsuccessful in convincing the hon. Member on more than one occasion that I have dealt in exactly the same way and on identically the same lines with all these various Post Office associations.
MR. STANLEY WILSONWill the right hon. Gentleman appoint a Committee of this House to go into the whole question?
§ MR. T. F. RICHARDS (Wolverhampton, W.)A Committee of one hundred.
[No Answer was returned.]