§ (1) Where a Proclamation of emergency has been made, and so long as the Proclamation is in force, it shall be lawful for His Majesty in Council, by Order, to make Regulations for securing the essentials of life to the community, and those Regulations may confer or impose on a Secretary of State or other Government Department, or any other persons in His Majesty's service or acting on His Majesty's behalf, such powers and duties as His Majesty may deem necessary for the preservation of the peace, for securing and regulating the supply and distribution of food, water, fuel, light, and other necessities, for maintaining the means of transit or locomotion, and for any other purposes essential to the public safety and the life of the community, and may make such provisions incidental to the powers aforesaid as may appear to His Majesty to be required for making the exercise of those powers effective.
§ Provided that nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorise the making of any Regulations imposing any form of compulsory military service or industrial conscription.
§ Provided also that no such Regulation shall make it an offence for any person or persons to take part in a strike or peacefully to persuade any other person or persons to take part in a strike.
§ (2) Any Regulations so made shall be laid before Parliament as soon as may be after they are made, and shall not continue in force after the expiration of seven days from the time when they are so laid unless a Resolution is possed by both Houses providing for the continuance thereof.
§ (3) The Regulations may provide for the trial by courts of summary jurisdiction of persons guilty of offences against the Regulations; so, however, that the maximum penalty which may be inflicted shall be imprisonment with or without hard labour for a term of three months, or a fine of one hundred pounds, or both such imprisonment and fine, together with the forfeiture of any goods or money in respect of which the offence has been committed.
§ (4) The Regulations so made shall have effect as if enaered in this Act, hut may be added to altered, or revoked by Resolution of both Houses of Parliament or by Regulations made in like manner and subject to the like provisions as the original Regulations; and Regulations made under this Section shall not be deemed to be Statutory Rules within the meaning of Section one of the Rules Publication Act, 1893.
§ (5) The expiry or revocation of any Regulations so made shall not he deemed to have affected the previous operation thereof, or the validity of any action taken thereunder or any penalty or punishment incurred in respect of any contravention or failure to comply therewith, or any proceeding or remedy in respect of any such punishment or penalty.
§ Mr. ARTHUR HENDERSONI beg to move, in Sub-section (1), after the word 1870 "Regulations" ["nothing in this Act shall be construed to authorise the making of any Regulations"], to insert the words, "abrogating the Trade Union Acts, 1871 to. 1906, or any of the provisions contained therein, or".
Throughout the whole of the discussions on this Bill, members of the Government, and many of their supporters, have repeatedly informed us that there was no intention on the part of the promoters of the Bill to interfere with the rights of the trade unions as they now exist under the trade union law. During the Committee stage a proviso was inserted consisting of certain words from the Trade Disputes Act, 1906. It seems to those of us on this side who represent directly the organised workers, that, either by intention or otherwise, we have been placed in a very unfortunate position, and I want to try to induce the Government to amend the proviso to which I have referred by the insertion of the words which I have moved. In an Amendment moved, I believe, by a supporter of the Government, the right to strike and the right to peacefully persuade—
§ Mr. SHORTTNot by a supporter of the Government.
§ Sir F. BANBURYThe Member for Central Hull.
§ Mr. HENDERSONBy one of the London Members—I think it was the Member for Whitechapel (Mr. Kiley). By that Amendment the right to strike and the right of peaceful persuasion were maintained. Those are two rights under the Trade Union Acts, 1871 to 1900. There may be in the House those who think that those Acts ought to be repealed. I believe the right hon. Baronet the Member for the City of London (Sir F. Banbury) introduced a Bill earlier in the Session with that object in view. The right hon. Baronet has never hidden his position with regard to trade union law. He was through the fight in 1906, which we remember so well, and he has never concealed his position. If you want to repeal the Trade Union Acts the repeal ought to be carried out in an open, straightforward manner. We should not be told, as we have been told over and over again, that there is no intention on the part of the promoters of the Bill to interfere with the Trade Union position and then in 1871 some covert and indirect way have taken away from us the rights that the law gave us when we had an open fight on the question in 1906. To carry forward a certain part of an Act and to leave other provisions in it not carried forward will be in my judgment a temptation to Judges to say that when this Emergency Powers Act was passed it was the intention of the legislature to preserve the right to strike and the right of peaceful picketing, but not to carry forward any other powers contained in the Act from which these provisions are taken. I believe the Government have said more than once that they do not intend to interfere with our position. We on these Benches think if the proviso is left as it stands now without the Amendment I am submitting we shall be placed in the position that the old mischief will be once more brought up against the trade unions, and their funds will be no longer immune from attack. In Subsection (4) of the Act of 1906 we have this proviso:
Nothing in this Section shall affect the liability of the trustees of a Trade Union to be sued in the events provided for by the Trade Union Act, 1871, Section 9, except in respect of any tortious act committed by or on behalf of a Union in contemplation or in furtherance of a trade dispute.I want to ask whether, having carried forward the right to strike and to peacefully persuade, we preserve this other right that I have referred to in this Subsection. I hope the Government will recognise that this is of such importance to the whole of the 6,000,000 or 7,000,000 trade unionists in this country that any right in the Act I have referred to or the Act of 1871, that has stood so long, being taken away or being interfered with in any way by this measure will be a most unfair way of attacking the trade unions, and I hope the opportunity I give the Attorney-General by moving this Amendment will make it clear once and for all that no right whatsoever under the Trade Union Acts is tampered with or interfered with in any way.
§ Sir G. HEWARTThe speech which the House has just heard may be thought to illustrate at least two things. In the first place, it seems to me to illustrate the extraordinary suspicion with which, in certain quarters of the House, every part of this Bill is regarded. We have had 1872 during the course of the afternoon, and on earlier days also, many proofs that there are those—I refer, for example, to the lively speech we listened to a moment ago from the hon. Member (Mr. Jones)—who think quite sincerely—I do not doubt their sincerity for a moment—that, under the guise of accomplishing a general and public-spirited purpose, this Bill is intended to be an instrument directed against a particular part of the community. That suspicion appears to be exemplified by the speech we have just heard. Secondly, I think that speech illustrates another thing, I mean the peril which good-natured Ministers incur when, in order to satisfy opponents, or, in the phrase we heard an hour ago, in order to save valuable time, we insert superfluous words so as to make it perfectly clear to the most suspicious mind that something which is apprehended is apprehended wrongly. In the course of the discussion, anxious as we have been from the first to avoid the importation of any unnecessary heat and to put a short end if we can to unnecessary controversy, we have accepted from time to time Amendments from the other side which did not alter the structure or affect the purpose of the Bill, but did to a certain extent make clearer that which was involved in the phrasing of the Bill already. In particular this afternoon the Home Secretary accepted certain words—there was a slight modification introduced into them which did not affect the substance, of the matter—making it clear that it was not within the compass of the proposed regulations to impose any form of compulsory military service or anything which is called, I think, industrial conscription. That concession was followed—
§ Sir G. HEWARTYes, concession, because it is putting something into the Bill to avoid something which I should have thought it would not have been unreasonable to hope—the Debate showed that it was unreasonable to hope—the Government might have been trusted to avoid. That is done, and as soon as that is done there is another proposal. It has been said again and again, and it has been said with considerable emphasis to-day, that the primary object of the Bill is to make it impossible any longer in this 1873 country to strike or, however peacefully, to induce other persons to strike. Of course, that is not the object of the Bill, it is no part of the object of the Bill, and as was said quite clearly—the words "quite clearly" are superfluous in speaking of what is said from that source—as was said by the Lord Privy Seal in moving the Second Reading of the Bill, this is not, in any sense of the term, a strike-breaking Bill. This Bill is not intended to make illegal a strike which, apart from this Bill, would not have been illegal. What is intended is to create machinery, prompt, effective, sufficient, to deal with the situation which is created, whether by industrial dispute or by other action of a certain nature and upon a certain scale, and to put the Executive Government in a position to deal with the situation so created. One might have thought that that was sufficiently declared. However, it was insisted with great vehemence that clear words should be put into the Bill which would, as it were, register and express the pledge which had been given. Accordingly, a proviso was inserted in the Bill which says—I am speaking from memory, but I think I am substantially accurate—that nothing in this Bill is to make a strike illegal or to make it illegal for a person peacefully to persuade to a strike. Be it so. Now comes the sequel, and I do in all seriousness and carnestness invite the attention of the House to the sequel. Because we have done that, because we have made it plain upon the face of the Bill that the purpose which was announced by my right hon. Friend in moving the Second Reading is the true purpose of the Bill, what is the criticism now made by my right hon. Friend (Mr. Henderson)? He says, "Ah, look at the peril of this situation. Now you have in the Bill an echo, a phrase, a reminiscence of a particular Trade Union Act." He even permitted himself to say that His Majesty's judges would be tempted, or might be tempted, by the fact that that particular phrase was to be found in this Bill, which by that time would have become a Statute, to say that all else which is to be found in the Trade Union Acts from 1871 to 1906—to be more accurate, one might say from 1871 to 1913—was by this particular Bill forbidden. Seriously, could any suspicion, any apprehension be more fantastic than 1874 that, if my right hon. Friend will allow me to say so?
The Bill provides that upon the happening of certain events, no matter from what quarter they come, through any action, provided that it is of a certain nature and upon a certain scale, an emergency can be declared. Upon the declaration of that emergency, the power to make Regulations immediately arises, and then the scope of these Regulations is indicated, not in the sense of giving the details of any Regulation, but only in the sense of enumerating the classes or the categories or heads under which the Regulations may be made. Does my right hon. Friend seriously imagine that because in a particular Clause of the Bill we have put a proviso that no such Regulation is to interfere with certain things referred to in a Trade Union Act, everything else which is to be found in the Trade Union Acts is by this Act of Parliament done away with. To say that His Majesty's judges would be tempted to draw an inference of that character seems, if I may be allowed to say so, an extremely startling proposition. I say in all earnestness to my right hon. Friend that the words which he proposes to insert are entirely superfluous, and because they are superfluous they are perilous. Is it going to be said that because the Regulations do not provide otherwise, we propose to get rid of Magna Charta? Are we to put in words in this Clause that it shall not be within the compass of the Regulations to abrogate Magna Charta or the Bill of Rights or the Act of Settlement, or some one or other of those laws which are the very foundation of our constitutional law, so far as it is written?
§ Mr. CLYNESIs this not fantastic suggestion?
§ 10.0 P.M.
§ Sir G. HEWARTI think that there is nothing fantastic in the suggestion that that which is superfluous on one ground is like that which is superfluous on another ground. I invite my right hon. Friend, upon reflection, to think that if we were to put in words of this kind it would be an equal temptation, I will not say to the learned and experienced authorities to whom he referred, but a temptation to some others to say that it is only the little area of trade union law which is to be saved from the ambit of those Regulations, and that every other 1875 department of law, however vital it may be to this, that, or the other section of the community, or however important to the community as a whole, is to be material for these Regulations. Having considered that point, I hope that he will not press this Amendment.
§ Mr. A. WILLIAMSI beg to move, "That the Debate be now adjourned."
We have only before us the Bill as it was originally introduced. In Committee we have introduced very important Amendments. There is one very important Amendment to which it is now proposed to add something else. We have not before us in print the Amendment which was adopted, nor have we the words that it is proposed now to introduce. It is impossible to proceed in a rational way to deal with legislation under such circumstances.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYI beg to second the Motion.
§ Question, "That the Debate be now-adjourned," put, and negatived.
§ Debate resumed.
§ Question again proposed, "That the words 'abrogating the Trade Union Acts, 1871 to 1906, or any of the provisions contained therein, or,' be there inserted in the Bill."
§ Mr. CLYNESThe speech of the Attorney-General was, I dare say, intended to reassure those of us who may make some special claim to speak for organised labour. All I can say on behalf of my hon. Friends is that the speech has made us much more suspicious than we were before-It was generally admitted in the beginning of the speech that we are discussing this matter in an atmosphere of suspicion. That is not our fault. That suspicion might have been avoided by frank consultation by bringing together the two parties who have a right to consider how far there should be serious alterations in the law in relation to these emergencies. It might be avoided even now if this Bill were set aside, if only temporarily, and it ought to be set aside in view of the state of the emergency in relation to which it was introduced, hinging upon the miners' strike, being further and further removed from us, as it would appear every hour brings us nearer to a peaceful settlement of that 1876 trouble. The circumstances which evoked this Bill have so altered as to entitle us to appeal to the Government not further to increase the suspicions in the mind of labour by continuing to press this measure.
Why are we more suspicious, after listening to these speeches, than before? It is because the Amendment, which would remove the suspicion, which would in statute terms give us the safeguard for which we are asking, is flatly refused, and we are asked to be content with verbal assurances by the Attorney-General. When a case goes into a Court of Law, what matters are the words precisely as they are in the Act. That is what determines the decisions of those who have to interpret the law in Courts. The speeches here in which our good intentions are expressed are never referred to in Court, and, if they were, they would in no way influence a judicial decision. The specific Acts of Parliament referred to in the Amendment, passed by the Legislature, after months of public debate, after weeks of consideration in this House, after a General Election, guarantee to labour the claim which it made in relation to such matters as conspiracy, peaceful picketing, and liability for actions committed by either members of trade unions or individual trade unions themselves; and all that my right hon. Friend is now asking the House to do is so to frame the words of this particular emergency proposal as to make it impossible in a Court of Law to deprive us of these rights which were expressed in two or three Acts of Parliament.
We submit this Amendment because this Rill when it becomes an Act will not in itself be an instrument for Government action in regard to a state of emergency or strikes or disputes. It is the Regulations that would be the instrument. We merely ask that it will not be possible for those who have to frame the Regulations so to frame them as to set aside statutory rights which were expressed in the Trade Disputes Act and other Acts. These Regulations when framed will be framed only in relation to the action of trade union organisations, bodies of men who may be on strike, and no matter how often we are assured that all persons have to be equal before the law, I decline on the strength of our experience to accept any of those assurances no matter how well meant they 1877 are. It is not that we doubt the honesty of the statements as they are made, but we must judge what will probably happen in the future by what has happened in the past. Only an hour ago we asked the insertion of certain words that would expressly require persons engaged in the conduct of trade and business in the supply of food and necessities of life to be expressly brought under the terms of the Bill and the Government refused.
A member of the Cabinet, the present Minister of Food, said not long ago—and he has made the statement repeatedly—that proper investigation by a competent committee set up under Government auspices showed that 80 per cent. of the principal trades and businesses of this country were under the dominion of trade combines and syndicates exercising a power frequently delaying supplies for reasons of profit, and frequently impeding the access of the public to the things which they need by the high prices which they fixed officially for reasons of profit. Those are the findings of that Committee, and we say that combines, syndicates; and trading companies exercising unfairly powers of that kind ought to be brought expressly within the terms of this Bill. This the Government have refused to do. I repeat that this is a Bill of Regulations not yet drafted which would be framed in a moment of panic when the whole mind of those who have to frame the Regulations will he directed against organised labour because of the struggles in which labour is engaged with capital or with the Government. I accept the
| Division No. 340.] | AYES. | [10.16 p.m. |
| Adamson, Rt. Hon. William | Hartshorn, Vernon | Shaw, Thomas (Preston) |
| Barnes, Major H. (Newcastle, E.) | Hayward, Major Evan | Short, Alfred (Wednesbury) |
| Bowerman, Rt. Hon. Charles W. | Henderson, Rt. Hon. A. (Widnes) | Sitch, Charles H. |
| Brace, Rt. Hon. William | Hirst, G. H. | Smith, W. R. (Wellingborough) |
| Brown, James (Ayr and Bute) | Hegge, James Myles | Swan, J. E. |
| Cairns, John | Holmes, J. Stanley | Thomas, Rt. Hon. James H. (Derby) |
| Cape, Thomas | Irving, Dan | Thomson, T. (Middlesbrough, West) |
| Carter, W. (Nottingham, Mansfield) | Jones, J. J. (West Ham, Silvertown) | Thorne, W. (West Ham, Plaistow) |
| Clynes, Rt. Hon. J. R. | Kenworthy, Lieut.-Commander J. M. | Tillett, Benjamin |
| Davies, A. (Lancaster, Clitheroe) | Lawson, John J. | Tootill, Robert |
| Davison, J. E. (Smethwick) | Lunn, William | Walsh, Stephen (Lancaster, Ince) |
| Devlin, Joseph | Morgan, Major D. Watts | Waterson, A. E. |
| Edwards, C. (Monmouth, Bedwellty) | Murray, Dr. D. (Inverness and Boss) | Wignall, James |
| Finney, Samuel | Myers, Thomas | Williams, Aneurin (Durham, Consett) |
| Galbraith, Samuel | Newbould, Alfred Ernest | Wilson, Rt. Hon. J. W. (Stourbrdge) |
| Glanville, Harold James | Parkinson, John Allen (Wigan) | Wood, Major M. M. (Aberdeen, C) |
| Graham, D. M. (Lanark, Hamilton) | Raffan, Peter Wilson | Young, Robert (Lancaster, Newton) |
| Griffiths, T. (Monmouth, Pontypool) | Robertson, John | |
| Grundy, T. W. | Rose, Frank H. | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Guest, J. (York, W. R., Hemsworth) | Royce, William Stapleton | Mr. Tyson Wilson and Mr. Neil Maclean. |
| Hall, F. (York, W. R., Normanton) | Sexton, James |
| NOES. | ||
| Addison, Rt. Hon. Dr. C. | Archdale, Edward Mervyn | Baldwin, Rt. Hon. Stanley |
| Agg-Gardner, Sir James Tynte | Atkey, A. R. | Balfour, George (Hampstead) |
| Ainsworth, Captain Charles | Bagley, Captain E. Ashton | Banbury, Rt. Hon. Sir Frederick G. |
| Allen, Lieut.-Colonel William James | Baird, Sir John Lawrence | Barnett, Major R. W. |
§ honesty of purpose and the good intention of those who speak for the Government, but drawing from experience I think that we are entitled to say that our position should be safeguarded expressly by the terms of this Amendment.
§ Sir G. HEWARTMy right hon. Friend refers to what happened in the course of the discussion within the last hour when we could not accept an Amendment enumerating certain specific things as being descriptive of the action referred to in the first Clause. Does he seriously contend that the words of the Bill "any action by any person or body of persons" do not cover the very matters which he desires to specify?
§ Mr. CLYNESI say that in practice they do not.
§ Sir G. HEWARTDoes he not perceive that to enumerate certain things, leaving out others, is to create an entirely false impression? The same remark applies to the Amendment now under discussion. Either the House is to take the view that the particular Statutes to which this Amendment refers are Statutes of a special degree of sanctity or it would be necessary to enumerate in the Bill or in a Schedule to this Bill all the Acts with which the Regulations must not interfere.
§ Question put, "That the words 'abrogating the Trade Union Acts, 1871 to 1906, or any of the provisions contained therein, or,' be there inserted in the Bill."
§ This House divided: Ayes, 59; Noes, 227.
| Barnston, Major Harry | Gritten, W. G. Howard | Parry, Lieut.-Colonel Thomas Henry |
| Barrie, Charles Coupar | Hacking, Captain Douglas H. | Pease, Rt. Hon. Herbert Pike |
| Barrie, Rt. Hon. H. T. (Lon'derry, N.) | Hailwood, Augustine | Percy, Charles |
| Barton, Sir William (Oldham) | Hall, Lieut.-Col. Sir F. (Dulwich) | Philipps, Sir Owen C. (Chester, City) |
| Bell, Lieut.-Col. W. C. H. (Devizes) | Hamilton, Major C. G. C. | Pollock, Sir Ernest M. |
| Bellairs, Commander Carlyon W. | Hanna, George Boyle | Pulley, Charles Thornton |
| Birchall, Major J. Dearman | Hanson, Sir Charles Augustin | Purchase, H. G. |
| Bird, Sir A. (Wolverhampton, West) | Harmsworth, C. B. (Bedford, Luton) | Ramsden, G. T. |
| Blades, Capt. Sir George Rowland | Harris, Sir Henry Percy | Randles, Sir John S. |
| Blake, Sir Francis Douglas | Henderson, Major V. L. (Tradeston) | Rankin, Captain James S. |
| Borwick, Major G. O. | Hennessy, Major J. R. G. | Raw, Lieutenant-Colonel N. |
| Bowyer, Captain G. E. W. | Henry, Denis S. (Londonderry, S.) | Rawlinson, John Frederick Peel |
| Breese, Major Charles E. | Herbert, Dennis (Hertford, Watford) | Rees, Sir J. D. (Nottingham, East) |
| Brown, T. W. (Down, North) | Hewart, Rt. Hon. Sir Gordon | Reid, D. D. |
| Bruton, Sir James | Hilder, Lieut.-Colonel Frank | Renwick, George |
| Burn, Col. C. R. (Devon, Torquay) | Hills, Major John Waller | Roberts, Sri S. (Sheffield, Ecclesall) |
| Butcher, Sir John George | Hinds, John | Robinson, S. (Brecon and Radnor) |
| Carew, Charles Robert S. | Hoare, Lieut.-Colonel Sir S. J. G. | Rodger, A. K. |
| Carr, W. Theodore | Hood, Joseph | Roundell, Colonel R. F. |
| Casey, T. W. | Hope, Sir H. (Stirling & Cl'ckm'nn. W.) | Samuel, Samuel (W'dsworth, Putney) |
| Cautley, Henry S. | Hope, James F. (Sheffield, Central) | Sassoon, Sir Philip Albert Gustave D. |
| Cecil, Rt. Hon. Evelyn (Birm., Aston) | Hope, Lt.-Col. Sir J. A. (Midlothian) | Seager, Sir William |
| Chamberlain, Rt. Hn. J. A. (Birm., W.) | Hope, J. D. (Berwick & Haddington) | Seddon, J. A. |
| Chamberlain, N. (Birm., Ladywood) | Hopkinson, A. (Lancaster, Mossley) | Seely, Major-General Ht. Hon. John |
| Coats, Sir Stuart | Hotchkin, Captain Stafford Vere | Shaw, Hon. Alex. (Kilmarnock) |
| Cockerill, Brigadier-General G. K. | Hume-Williams, Sir W. Ellis | Shaw, William T. (Forfar) |
| Colfox, Major Wm. Phillips | Hunter, General Sir A. (Lancaster) | Shortt, Rt. Hon. E. (N'castle-on-T.) |
| Colvin, Brig.-General Richard Beale | James, Lieut.-Colonel Hon. Cuthbert | Simm, M. T. |
| Conway, Sir W. Martin | Jesson, C. | Smith, Sir Allan M. (Croydon, South) |
| Coote, Colin Reith (Isle of Ely) | Jodrell, Neville Paul | Smith, Harold (Warrington) |
| Coote, William (Tyrone, South) | Johnson, Sir Stanley | Sprot, Colonel Sir Alexander |
| Courthope, Major George L. | Johnstone, Joseph | Starkey, Captain John R. |
| Cowan, D. M. (Scottish Universities) | Jones, G. W. H. (Stoke Newington) | Steel, Major S. Strang |
| Craig, Captain C. C. (Antrim, South) | Jones, Henry Haydn (Merioneth) | Stephenson, Lieut.-Colonel H. K. |
| Craig, Colonel Sir J. (Down, Mid) | Jones, J. T. (Carmarthen, Llanelly) | Stewart, Gershom |
| Croft, Lieut.-Colonel Henry Page | Kerr-Smiley, Major Peter Kerr. | Sturrock, J. Leng |
| Davies, Alfred Thomas (Lincoln) | Lane-Fox, G. R. | Sugden, W. H. |
| Davies, Thomas (Cirencester) | Law, Alfred J. (Rochdale) | Surtees, Brigadier-General H. C. |
| Davison, Sir W. H. (Kensington, S.) | Law, Rt. Hon. A. B. (Glasgow, C.) | Taylor, J. |
| Denniss, Edmund R. B. (Oldham) | Lewis, Rt. Hon. J. H. (Univ., Wales) | Thomas-Stanford, Charles |
| Dixon, Captain Herbert | Lindsay, William Arthur | Thomson, Sir W. Mitchell- (Maryhill) |
| Doyle, N. Grattan | Lister, Sir R. Ashton | Thorpe, Captain John Henry |
| Du Pre, Colonel William Baring | Lloyd, George Butler; | Tickler, Thomas George |
| Edwards, Major J. (Aberavon) | Lloyd-Greame, Major Sir P. | Townley, Maximilian G. |
| Elliot, Capt. Walter E. (Lanark) | Lonsdale, James Rolston | Tryon, Major George Clement |
| Elveden, Viscount | Lorden, John William | Waddington, R. |
| Eyres-Monsell, Commander B. M. | Lort-Williams, J. | Wallace, J. |
| Fell, Sir Arthur | Loseby, Captain C. E. | Ward, Col. L. (Kingston-upon-Hull) |
| Ford, Patrick Johnston | Lynn, R. J. | Waring, Major Walter |
| Forestler-Walker, L. | Mallalieu, F. W. | Warner, Sir T. Courtenay T. |
| Forrest, Walter | Malone, Major P. B. (Tottenham, S.) | Warren, Lieut.-Col. Sir Alfred H. |
| Fraser, Major Sir Keith | Marks, Sir George Croydon | Weston, Colonel John W. |
| Fremantle, Lieut.-Colonel Francis E. | Marriott, John Arthur Ransome | Wheler, Lieut.-Colonel C. H. |
| Ganzonl, Captain Francis John C. | Mason, Robert | Whitla, Sir William |
| Gardiner, James | Matthews, David | Wild, Sir Ernest Edward |
| Geddes, Rt. Hon. Sir E. (Camb'dge) | Middlebrook, Sir William | Williams, Lt.-Com. C. (Tavistock) |
| Gibbs, Colonel George Abraham | Moles, Thomas | Williams, Lt.-Col. Sir R. (Banbury) |
| Gilbert, James Daniel | Molson, Major John Elsdale | Williamson, Rt. Hon. Sir Archibald |
| Gilmour, Lieut.-Colonel John | Morden, Colonel H. Grant | Willoughby, Lieut.-Col. Hon. Claud |
| Goff, Sir R. Park | Moreing, Captain Algernon H. | Wills, Lieut.-Colonel Sir Gilbert |
| Goulding, Rt. Hon. Sir Edward A. | Morison, Rt. Hon. Thomas Brash | Wilson, Daniel M. (Down, West) |
| Gray, Major Ernest (Accrington) | Morris, Richard | Wilson-Fox, Henry |
| Grayson, Lieut.-Colonel Sir Henry | Morrison, Hugh | Wise, Frederick |
| Green, Joseph F. (Leicester, W.) | Morrison-Bell, Major A. C. | Worthington-Evans, Rt. Hon. Sir L. |
| Greene, Lt.-Col. Sir W. (Hack'y, N.) | Munro, Rt. Hon. Robert | Yeo, Sir Alfred William |
| Greenwood, Colonel Sir Hamar | Murchison, C. K. | Young, Lieut.-Com. E. H. (Norwich) |
| Greenwood, William (Stockport) | Neal, Arthur | Younger, Sir George |
| Gregory, Holman | Newman, Sir R. H. S. D. L. (Exeter) | |
| Gretton, Colonel John | Parker, James | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Captain Guest and Lord E. Talbot. |
§ Sir F. BANBURYI beg to move, in Sub-section (1), to leave out the words "or peacefully to persuade any other person or persons to take part in a strike."
An Amendment standing in the name of the hon. Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy) and the hon. Member for Whitechapel (Mr. Kiley) was moved, and with some alteration 1880 was accepted by the Government as follows:
Provided also that no such Regulation shall make it an offence for any person or persons to take part in a strike or peacefully to persuade any other person or persons to take part in a strike.As far as regards the first part of the Amendment, which relates to the statement that no Regulation shall make it an 1881 offence for any person to take part in a strike, I have no objection. I perfectly recognise the right of every man to do what he likes with his own labour, and if he likes to strike it is not for me to argue whether he is right or not. I think that in the opinion of nearly everyone in the country he has a perfect right to do what he likes with his labour. Therefore, I do not propose to touch that subject, but now we come to another and a very different thing; for the proviso goes onor peacefully to persuade any other person or persons to take part in a strike.We know very well what peaceful persuasion means. On the face of it, peaceful persuasion, I presume, would be understood to mean—and I think it was stated so in 1906—that one man should say to another: "My dear fellow, don't you think it would be well if you didn't go and do this work, but came away and stayed out with me?" As a matter of fact however, peaceful persuasion is a very different thing altogether. It consists of having a large number of men composed partly of strikers, partly of other people, who are anxious to participate in a row, who assemble in a certain place, and who do not peacefully persuade, but forcibly persuade, other people from doing what they have a perfect right to do—just as great a right as a striker has to strike—namely, to use their labour in the way they think best. Everyone knows that it is impossible for the forces of the Crown to prevent that kind of thing. Once you allow three or four hundred men to congregate it is impossible to prevent violence taking place, and the people who are assaulted do not know the names of the people who assault them, whom, therefore, it is impossible to bring to justice. Look at the beginning of the Act and see what it is meant to do; because it must be remembered that this Act will not be put in force more than once, I should hope, in five or ten years, and therefore what I am moving does not in any way affect any ordinary strike or anything connected with any ordinary strike: it is only to be in force in these very exceptional circumstances. The Clause reads:If at any time it appears to His Majesty that any action has been taken or is immediately threatened by any persons or body of persons of such a nature and on so extensive a scale as to be calculated, by interfering with the supply and distribution of food, water, fuel, light, or with the means of locomotion …1882 It is limited to these things, and only if it appears to His Majesty that any action is taken on such an extensive scale as to do these things. Is it to be contended that under very exceptional circumstances like that large bodies of men are to be allowed to congregate and prevent other people carrying on their lawful vocation, and so practically to render nugatory the effects of this Bill? I am sorry the Attorney-General has left the House, for I was going to point out to him—I do not know whether he left on purpose—that the very argument which he used a few moments ago in resisting the Amendment of the right hon. Gentleman opposite can be applied to this Amendment. He said: "Do not put in superfluous words, because they lead to misconceptions." These words were not in the Bill; they have been put in now. We know why they were put in; it was in order to appease the Labour party. As is usually the case—I am not casting any imputations on the Labour party, for it would very likely have been the same if it had been any other party—the moment they have been appeased by certain concessions, instead of being grateful, they ask for more. That is exactly what has occurred at the present time. I mean to go to a Division on this Amendment. I think it is a very serious blot on the Bill, and I do not believe the Government intended to introduce words of this sort when they brought in the Bill. I think they render the Bill nugatory.
§ Mr. SHORTTThe arguments of my right hon. Friend were addressed rather against the discretion of the police and the common sense of the courts of justice than against this Amendment. [HON. MEMBERS: "No!"] He instanced a case of assault committed upon people who wanted to feed the horses at the Great Northern railway station. I suppose his suggestion must be first of all that the police were inefficient and could not catch the assaulters, and secondly, that the courts of justice held that an assault on persons was peaceful picketing, which is absurd. These words we put in do not alter the Bill one iota. It is exactly as introduced, and as represented by everyone who has spoken on behalf of the Government. It is too late now to protest, because we have made clear that which we have always asserted, and to make that protest by raising points which have no pretensions 1883 to peaceful persuasion, and describing circumstances which could not be described as peaceful persuasion, and then to say that, because of some persons the police were not able to detect, or whom it was not possible to punish, therefore this Amendment is going to wreck the Bill, is an exaggeration which I do not think I need enlarge upon.
Mr. THOMASThe Attorney-General complained a few moments ago that there was an atmosphere of suspicion on this side of the House in discussing this Bill. If any just occasion for that suspicion were needed, it is to be found in the cheers which we have Just heard. It will be noted by the trade unionists of the country that, in spite of all that has been said, in spite of this being a women and children's Bill, half an hour before the Division is taken the people who will approve, and perhaps make, the Regulations, have given a very clear indication as to what they mean by their support of this Bill. And this, be it observed, after a war of four years. There are a few members in this House—the right hon. Baronet is one of them—who will remember that £50,000 was spent in 1905 in consequence of the judges' interpretation of a law that had been in existence for 32 years. Remember that famous Taff Vale decision was given, and was followed by a General Election, and not only every Liberal Member, but records show that 80 per cent. of the Conservative Members in their election addresses committed themselves to a view which the right hon. Baronet is now in 1920 asking this House to set aside. Let us see what is the complaint of the right hon. Baronet. Let this House observe that he and his friends are condemning peaceful persuasion and condemning the railwaymen's case. Less than throe years ago, while the War was proceeding, and at a critical stage of it the Government and the railwaymen met and came to an agreement, an agreement urged by the Government, and the right: hon. Baronet who moves this Amendment actually himself refused until a strike was proclaimed—during the War—actually to accept the provisions that the Government had made. That is why—and he knows it—peaceful persuasion is necessary to persuade people like him to do the right thing.
§ Sir F. BANBURYTo what is the right hon. Gentleman referring.
Mr. THOMASThe right hon. Baronet will know that he gave his general manager instructions not to be a party to the agreement that we arrived at with the Government. Twenty-four hours notice was given to his company, and 10 minutes before the time expired Mr. Dent had to sent out notices in order to save the strike being declared. The right hon. Baronet will probably understand very well—
§ Sir F. BANBURYI understood the right hon. Gentleman to say that I had voted for something in this House which—[HON. MEMBERS; "No!"] What took place between me and the general manager I could not say at the present time.
§ Sir F. BANBURYWhat has that got to do with it?
Mr. THOMASIt is this: that there was a strike, and peaceful persuasion is involved in a strike. I am trying to point out that although the hon. Baronet and his company were mainly responsible for the dispute which they brought about, he is actually moving a Clause that would prevent the men carrying out their legitimate function by law in helping in the dispute for which he was absolutely-responsible. But, Mr. Speaker, I am glad this issue is raised; because it is a justification of what we have been saying for three days. It is a justification that this measure—for the protection of women and children, remember—which the Government has been considering for months, and which they choose this particular moment to bring in—and incidentally this is the first Bill within the recollection of my hon. Friends on this side and myself that has ever been introduced affecting labour upon which the Government has never consulted labour.
§ Mr. SHORTTWhy labour?
Mr. THOMASThe Home Secretary asks, "Why labour?" Because the Government hitherto, and especially during the War, was at pains to consult labour at every stage.
Mr. THOMASThe answer to the Home Secretary's "Why labour?" is, because in the methods known hitherto—it may be a new policy now—they thought it at least necessary to consult those who are primarily affected in any legislation.
§ Mr. SHORTTPrimarily affected?
Mr. THOMASWe submit that we are primarily interested. All the evidence up till now in relation to the particular Amendment we are discussing clearly" demonstrates that. Whilst there has been a lot of talk about protecting the community, what evidence has there been up to now that, when there was a shortage of all manner of things in this country, and there was an abundance of stocks, the Government took any steps to exercise their powers? I hope that the right hon. Gentleman will go to a Division, because that will be a very clear indication of what an enthusiastic backing there is for this little innocent Bill to protect the women and children of this country. That vote will clearly indicate those who will have the courage to vote for what the right hon. Gentleman is expressing and those who have not the courage to do so.
§ Mr. SHORTTI would remind the House that yesterday we came to an
| Division No. 341.] | AYES. | [10.45 p.m. |
| Acland, Rt. Hon. F. D. | Cape, Thomas | Geddes, Rt. Hon. Sir E. (Camb'dge) |
| Adamson, Rt. Hon. William | Carr, W. Theodore | Gibbs, Colonel George Abraham |
| Addison, Rt. Hon. Dr. C. | Carter, W. (Nottingham, Mansfield) | Gilbert, James Daniel |
| Allen, Lieut.-Colonel William James | Casey, T. W. | Gilmour, Lieut.-Colonel John |
| Bagley, Captain E. Ashton | Chamberlain, Rt. Hn. J. A. (Birm., W) | Glanville, Harold James |
| Baird, Sir John Lawrence | Churchman, Sir Arthur | Goff, Sir R. Park |
| Baldwin, Rt. Hon. Stanley | Clynes, Rt. Hon. J. R. | Goulding, Rt. Hon. Sir Edward A. |
| Barker, Major Robert H. | Cockerill, Brigadier-General G. K. | Graham, D. M. (Lanark, Hamilton) |
| Barlow, Sir Montague | Coote, Colin Reith (Isle of Ely) | Gray, Major Ernest (Accrington) |
| Barnes, Major H. (Newcastle, E.) | Cowan, D. M. (Scottish Universities) | Grayson, Lieut.-Colonel Sir Henry |
| Barnett, Major R. W. | Craig, Captain C. C. Antrim, South) | Green, Joseph F. (Leicester, W.) |
| Barnston, Major Harry | Craig, Colonel Sir J. (Down, Mid) | Greenwood, Colonel Sir Hamar |
| Barrie, Charles Coupar | Davies, A. (Lancaster, Clitheroe) | Greenwood, William (Stockport) |
| Barrie, Rt. Hon. H. T. (Lon'derry, N.) | Davies, Thomas (Cirencester) | Gregory, Holman |
| Bellairs, Commander Carlyon W. | Davison, J. E. (Smethwick) | Griffiths, T. (Monmouth, Pontypool) |
| Benn, Sir A. S. (Plymouth, Drake) | Dean, Lieut.-Commander P. T. | Grundy, T. W. |
| Benn, Capt. Sir I. H., Bart. (Gr'nw'h) | Edge, Captain William | Guest, J. (York, W. R., Hemsworth) |
| Birchall, Major J. Dearman | Edwards, C (Monmouth, Bedwellty) | Hacking, Captain Douglas H. |
| Blades, Capt. Sir George Rowland | Edwards, Major J. (Aberavon) | Hall, F. (York, W. R., Normanton) |
| Blake, Sir Francis Douglas | Elliot, Capt. Walter E. (Lanark) | Hanna, George Boyle |
| Bowerman, Rt. Hon. Charles W. | Elveden, Viscount | Harris, Sir Henry Percy |
| Brace, Rt. Hon. William | Entwistle, Major C. F. | Hartshorn, Vernon |
| Breese, Major Charles E. | Eyres-Monsell, Commander B. M. | Hayward, Major Evan |
| Broad, Thomas Tucker | Fell, Sir Arthur | Henderson, Rt. Hon. A. (Widnes) |
| Brown, James (Ayr and Bute) | Finney, Samuel | Henderson, Major V. L. (Tradeston) |
| Brown, T. W. (Down, North) | Fisher Rt. Hon. Herbert A. L. | Henry, Denis S. (Londonderry, S.) |
| Bruton, Sir James | Forestler-Walker, L. | Herbert, Dennis (Hertford, Watford) |
| Buchanan, Lieut.-Colonel A. L. H. | Forrest, Waller | Hewart, Rt. Hon. Sir Gordon |
| Buckley, Lieut.-Colonel A. | Galbraith, Samuel | Hilder, Lieut.-Colonel Frank |
| Butcher, Sir John George | Ganzonl, Captain Francis John C. | Hills, Major John Waller |
| Cairns, John | Gardiner, James | Hinds, John |
§ arrangement to finish the Bill to-day, and I appeal to hon. Members to carry out that arrangement.
§ Sir W. DAVISONI, for one, shall certainly vote for this Amendment. Nobody has more friends than I have amongst working people, but what I object to is that hon. Members seem to think that certain organisations are the only section of the community, and they treat this Bill as if it did not deal with combines as well. Of course, goods belonging to combines or anyone else could be dealt with. Hon. Members seem to have forgotten the main purpose of the Bill, which is to make Regulations for securing the essentials of life for the community. What we object to is not that any particular Act relating to trade unions should now be repealed, but that there should be a special proviso that in making these Regulations the Government of the day should be prohibited from saying that men shall not assemble outside a railway station or outside a dock in order to prevent food or bread being distributed amongst the people.
§ Question put, "That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the Bill."
§ The House divided: Ayes, 225; Noes, 36.
| Hirst, G. H. | Morison, Rt. Hon. Thomas Brash | Shortt, Rt. Hon. E. (N'castle-on-T.) |
| Hoare, Lieut.-Colonel Sir S. J. G. | Morris, Richard | Sitch, Charles H. |
| Hogge, James Myles | Morrison, Hugh | Smith, Harold (Warrington) |
| Holmes, J. Stanley | Munro, Rt. Hon. Robert | Smith, W. R. (Wellingborough) |
| Hood, Joseph | Murray, Dr. D. (Inverness & Ross) | Sturrock, J. Leng |
| Hope, Sir H. (Stirling & Cl'ckm'nn, W.) | Murray, John (Leeds, West) | Sugden, W. H. |
| Hope, James F. (Sheffield, Central) | Myers, Thomas | Surtees, Brigadier-General H. C. |
| Hope, Lt.-Col. Sir J. A. (Midlothian) | Neal, Arthur | Swan, J. E. |
| Hope, J. D. (Berwick & Haddington) | Newbould, Alfred Ernest | Taylor, J. |
| Hotchkin, Captain Stafford Vere | Newman, Sir R. H. S. D. L. (Exeter) | Thomas, Rt. Hon. James H. (Derby) |
| Hume-Williams, Sir W. Ellis | O'Neill, Major Hon. Robert W. H. | Thomas-Stanford, Charles |
| Hunter, General Sir A. (Lancaster) | Parker, James | Thomson, T. (Middlesbrough, West) |
| Irving, Dan | Parkinson, John Allen (Wigan) | Thomson, Sir W. Mitchell- (Maryhill) |
| Jephcott, A. R. | Parry, Lieut.-Colonel Thomas Henry | Thorne, W. (West Ham, Plaistow) |
| Johnson, Sir Stanley | Pease, Rt. Hon. Herbert Pike | Thorpe, Captain John Henry |
| Johnstone, Joseph | Percy, Charles | Tillett, Benjamin |
| Jones, G. W. H. (Stoke Newington) | Philipps, Sir Owen C. (Chester, City) | Tootill, Robert |
| Jones, Henry Haydn (Merioneth) | Pollock, Sir Ernest M. | Tryon, Major George Clement |
| Jones, J. J. (West Ham, Silvertown) | Pownall, Lieut.-Colonel Assheton | Vickers, Douglas |
| Jones, J. T. (Carmarthen, Llanelly) | Pulley, Charles Thornton | Waddington, R. |
| Kenworthy, Lieut.-Commander J. M. | Purchase, H. G. | Wallace, J. |
| Kerr-Smiley, Major Peter Kerr | Raffan, Peter Wilson | Ward, William Dudley (Southampton) |
| King, Captain Henry Douglas | Rankin, Captain James S. | Waring, Major Walter |
| Lane-Fox, G. R. | Raw, Lieutenant-Colonel N. | Warner, Sir T. Courtenay T. |
| Law, Rt. Hon. A. B. (Glasgow, C.) | Renwick, George | Warren, Lieut.-Col. Sir Alfred H. |
| Lewis, Rt. Hon. J. H. (Univ., Wales) | Richardson, Sir Albion (Camberwell) | Waterson, A. E. |
| Lewis, T. A. (Glam., Pontypridd) | Roberts, Sir S. (Sheffield, Ecclesall) | Whitla, Sir William |
| Lloyd, George Butler | Robertson, John | Wignall, James |
| Locker-Lampson, Com. O. (H'tingd'n) | Robinson, S. (Brecon and Radnor) | Williams, Aneurin (Durham, Consett) |
| Lonsdale, James Rolston | Rodger, A. K. | Williams, Lt.-Com. C. (Tavistock) |
| Lorden, John William | Rose, Frank H. | Williams, Lt.-Col. Sir R. (Banbury) |
| Lort-Williams, J. | Royce, William Stapleton. | Williamson, Rt. Hon. Sir Archibald |
| Loseby, Captain C. E. | Rutherford, Colonel Sir J. (Darwen) | Wilson, Rt. Hon. J. W. (Stourbridge) |
| Lunn, William | Samuel, Samuel (W'dsworth, Putney) | Wilson, W. Tyson (Westhoughton) |
| Maclean, Neil (Glasgow, Govan) | Sassoon, Sir Philip Albert Gustave D. | Wise, Frederick |
| Macpherson, Rt. Hon. James I. | Scott, A. M. (Glasgow, Bridgeton) | Wood, Major M. M. (Aberdeen, C.) |
| Maddocks, Henry | Scott, Leslie (Liverpool, Exchange) | Worsfold, Dr. T. Cato |
| Mallalieu, F. W. | Seager, Sir William | Worthington-Evans, Rt. Hon. Sir L. |
| Malone, Major P. B. (Tottenham, S.) | Seddon, J. A. | Yeo, Sir Alfred William |
| Mason, Robert | Seely, Major-General Rt. Hon. John | Young, Lieut.-Com. E. H. (Norwich) |
| Matthews, David | Sexton, James | Young, Robert (Lancaster, Newton) |
| Moore-Brabazon, Lieut.-Col. J. T. C. | Shaw, Hon. Alex. (Kilmarnock) | |
| Morden, Colonel H. Grant | Shaw, Thomas (Preston) | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.— |
| Moreing, Captain Algernon H. | Shaw, William T. (Forfar) | Lord E. Talbot and Captain Guest |
| Morgan, Major D. Watts | Short, Alfred (Wednesbury) |
| NOES. | ||
| Ainsworth, Captain Charles | Du Pre, Colonel William Baring | Rawlinson, John Frederick Peel |
| Archdale, Edward Mervyn | Ford, Patrick Johnston | Roundell, Colonel R. F. |
| Atkey, A. R. | Fraser, Major Sir Keith | Samuel, A. M. (Surrey, Farnham) |
| Balfour, George (Hampstead) | Fremantle, Lieut.-Colonel Francis E. | Smith, Sir Allan M. (Croydon, South) |
| Bell, Lieut.-Col. W. C. H. (Devizes) | Gretton, Colonel John | Sprot, Colonel Sir Alexander |
| Bowyer, Captain G. E. W. | Hailwood, Augustine | Steel, Major S. Strang |
| Burn, Col. C. R. (Devon, Torquay) | Hall, Lieut.-Col. Sir F. (Dulwich) | Ward, Col. L. (Kingston-upon-Hull) |
| Cecil, Rt. Hon. Evelyn (Birm., Aston) | Marriott, John Arthur Ransome | Wild, Sir Ernest Edward |
| Chamberlain, N. (Birm., Ladywood) | Molson, Major John Elsdale | Wills, Lieut.-Colonel Sir Gilbert |
| Coats, Sir Stuart | Morrison-Bell, Major A. C. | Wilson-Fox, Henry |
| Colvin, Brig.-General Richard Beale | Murchison, C. K. | |
| Conway, Sir W. Martin | Oman, Sir Charles William C. | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Courthope, Major George L. | Randles, Sir John S. | Sir F. Banbury and Sir W. Davison. |
§ Motion made, and Question put, "That the Bill be now read the Third time."
| Division No. 342.] | AYES. | [10.55 p.m. |
| Addison, Rt. Hon. Dr. C. | Barnston, Major Harry | Breese, Major Charles E. |
| Agg-Gardner, Sir James Tynte | Barrie, Charles Coupar | Broad, Thomas Tucker |
| Ainsworth, Captain Charles | Barrie, Rt. Hon. H. T. (Lon'derry, N.) | Brown, T. W. (Down, North) |
| Allen, Lieut.-Colonel William James | Barton, Sir William (Oldham) | Bruton, Sir James |
| Archdale, Edward Mervyn | Bell, Lieut.-Col. W. C. H. (Devizes) | Buchanan, Lieut.-Colonel A. L. H. |
| Atkey, A. R. | Bellairs, Commander Cariyon W. | Buckley, Lieut.-Colonel A. |
| Bagley, Captain E. Ashton | Benn, Sir A. S. (Plymouth, Drake) | Burn, Colonel C. R. (Devon, Torquay) |
| Baird, Sir John Lawrence | Benn, Capt. Sir I. H., Bart. (Gr'nw'h) | Butcher, Sir John George |
| Baldwin, Rt. Hon. Stanley | Birchall, Major J. Dearman | Carew, Charles Robert S. |
| Balfour, George (Hampstead) | Bird, Sir A. (Wolverhampton, West) | Carr, W. Theodore |
| Banbury, Rt. Hon. Sir Frederick G. | Blades, Capt. Sir George Rowland | Casey, T. W. |
| Barker, Major Robert H. | Blake, Sir Francis Douglas | Cautley, Henry S. |
| Barlow, Sir Montague | Borwick, Major G. O. | Cecil, Rt. Hon. Evelyn (Birm., Aston) |
| Barnett, Major R. W. | Bowyer, Captain G. E. W. | Chamberlain, Rt. Hn. J. A. (Birm., W.) |
§ The House divided; Ayes, 238; Noes, 58.
| Chamberlain, N. (Birm., Ladywood) | Hotchkin, Captain Stafford Vere | Randles, Sir John S. |
| Churchman, Sir Arthur | Hume-Williams, Sir W. Ellis | Rankin, Captain James S. |
| Coats, Sir Stuart | Hunter, General Sir A. (Lancaster) | Raw, Lieutenant-Colonel N. |
| Cockerill, Brigadier-General G. K. | James, Lieut.-Colonel Hon. Cuthbert | Rawlinson, John Frederick Peel |
| Colfox, Major Wm. Phillips | Jephcott, A. R. | Reid, D. D. |
| Colvin, Brig.-General Richard Beale | Jesson, C. | Renwick, George |
| Conway, Sir W. Martin | Jodrell, Neville Paul | Richardson, Sir Albion (Camberwell) |
| Coote, Colin Reith (Isle of Ely) | Johnson, Sir Stanley | Roberts, Sir S. (Sheffield, Ecclesall) |
| Coote, William (Tyrone, South) | Johnstone, Joseph | Robinson, S. (Brecon and Radnor) |
| Courthope, Major George L. | Jones, G. W. H. (Stoke Newington) | Robinson, Sir T. (Lancs., Stretford) |
| Cowan, D. M. (Scottish Universities) | Jones, Henry Haydn (Merioneth) | Rodger, A. K. |
| Craig, Captain C. C. (Antrim, South) | Jones, J. T. (Carmarthen, Llanelly) | Roundell, Colonel R. F. |
| Craig, Colonel Sir J. (Down, Mid) | Kerr-Smiley, Major Peter Kerr | Rutherford, Colonel Sir J. (Darwen) |
| Davies, Thomas (Cirencester) | King, Captain Henry Douglas | Samuel, A. M. (Surrey, Farnham) |
| Davison, Sir W. H. (Kensington, S.) | Lane-Fox, G. R. | Samuel, Samuel (W'dsworth, Putney) |
| Dean, Lieut.-Commander P. T. | Law, Alfred J. (Rochdale) | Sanders, Colonel Sir Robert A. |
| Dixon, Captain Herbert | Law, Rt. Hon. A. B. (Glasgow, C.) | Sassoon, Sir Philip Albert Gustave D. |
| Du Pre, Colonel William Baring | Lewis, Rt. Hon. J. H. (Univ., Wales) | Scott, A. M. (Glasgow, Bridgeton) |
| Edwards, Major J. (Aberavon) | Lewis, T. A. (Glam., Pontypridd) | Seager, Sir William |
| Elliot, Capt. Walter E. (Lanark) | Lindsay, William Arthur | Seddon, J. A. |
| Elveden, Viscount | Lister, Sir R. Ashton | Seely, Major-General Rt. Hon. John |
| Eyres-Monsell, Commander B. M. | Lloyd, George Butler | Shaw, Hon. Alex. (Kilmarnock) |
| Fell, Sir Arthur | Lloyd-Greame, Major Sir P. | Shaw, William T. (Forfar) |
| Fisher, Rt. Hon. Herbert A. L. | Locker-Lampson, Com. O. (H'tingd'n) | Shortt, Rt. Hon. E. (N'castle-on-T.) |
| Ford, Patrick Johnston | Lonsdale, James Rolston | Smith, Harold (Warrington) |
| Forestler-Walker, L. | Lorden, John William | Sprot, Colonel Sir Alexander |
| Forrest, Walter | Lort-Williams, J. | Starkey, Captain John R. |
| Fraser, Major Sir Keith | Loseby, Captain C. E. | Steel, Major S. Strang |
| Fremantle, Lieut.-Colonel Francis E. | Lynn, R. J. | Stephenson, Lieut.-Colonel H. K. |
| Ganzonl, Captain Francis John C. | M'Micking, Major Gilbert | Stewart, Gershom |
| Gardiner, James | McNeill, Ronald (Kent, Canterbury) | Sturrock, J. Leng |
| Geddes, Rt. Hon. Sir E. (Camb'dge) | Macpherson, Rt. Hon. James I. | Sugden, W. H. |
| Gibbs, Colonel George Abraham | Maddocks, Henry | Surtees, Brigadier-General H. C. |
| Gilbert, James Daniel | Mallalieu, F. W. | Taylor, J. |
| Gilmour, Lieut.-Colonel John | Malone, Major P. B. (Tottenham, S.) | Thomas-Stanford, Charles |
| Goff, Sir R. Park | Marks, Sir George Croydon | Thomson, Sir W. Mitchell- (Maryhill) |
| Goulding, Rt. Hon. Sir Edward A. | Marriott, John Arthur Ransome | Thorpe, Captain John Henry |
| Gray, Major Ernest (Accrington) | Mason, Robert | Townley, Maximilian G. |
| Grayson, Lieut.-Colonel Sir Henry | Matthews, David | Tryon, Major George Clement |
| Green, Joseph F. (Leicester, W.) | Moles, Thomas | Vickers, Douglas |
| Greene, Lt.-Col. Sir W. (Hack'y, N.) | Molson, Major John Elsdale | Waddington, R. |
| Greenwood, Colonel Sir Hamar | Moore-Brabazon, Lieut.-Col. J. T. C. | Ward, Col. L. (Kingston-upon-Hull) |
| Greenwood, William (Stockport) | Morden, Colonel H. Grant | Ward, William Dudley (Southampton) |
| Gregory, Holman | Moreing, Captain Algernon H. | Waring, Major Waiter |
| Gritten, W. G. Howard | Morison, Rt. Hon. Thomas Brash | Warner, Sir T. Courtenay T. |
| Hacking, Captain Douglas H. | Morris, Richard | Warren, Lieut.-Col. Sir Alfred H. |
| Hailwood, Augustine | Morrison, Hugh | Weston, Colonel John W. |
| Hall, Lieut.-Col. Sir F. (Dulwich) | Morrison-Bell, Major A. E. | Wheler, Lieut.-Colonel C. H. |
| Hamilton, Major C. G. C. | Munro, Rt. Hon. Robert | Whitla, Sir William |
| Hanna, George Boyle | Murchison, C. K. | Wild, Sir Ernest |
| Hanson, Sir Charles Augustin | Murray, John (Leeds, West) | Williams, Lt.-Com. C. (Tavistock) |
| Harris, Sir Henry Percy | Neal, Arthur | Williams, Lt.-Col. Sir R. (Banbury) |
| Henderson, Major V. L. (Tradeston) | Newman, Sir R. H. S. D. L. (Exeter) | Williamson, Rt. Hon. Sir Archibald |
| Hennessy, Major J. R. G. | Oman, Sir Charles William C. | Willoughby, Lieut.-Col, Hon. Claud |
| Henry, Denis S. (Londonderry, S.) | O'Neill, Major Hon. Robert W. H. | Wills, Lieut.-Colonel Sir Gilbert |
| Herbert, Dennis (Hertford, Watford) | Parker, James | Wilson, Daniel M. (Down, West) |
| Hewart, Rt. Hon. Sir Gordon | Parry, Lieut.-Colonel Thomas Henry | Wilson-Fox, Henry |
| Hilder, Lieut.-Colonel Frank | Pease, Rt. Hon. Herbert Pike | Wise, Frederick |
| Hills, Major John Waller | Percy, Charles | Worsfold, Dr. T. Cato |
| Hinds, John | Philipps, Sir Owen C. (Chester, City) | Worthington-Evans, Rt. Hon. Sir L. |
| Hoare, Lieut.-Colonel Sir S. J. G. | Pickering, Lieut.-Colonel Emil W. | Yeo, Sir Alfred William |
| Hood, Joseph | Pollock, Sir Ernest M. | Young, Lieut.-Com. E. H. (Norwich) |
| Hope, Sir H. (Stirling & Cl'ckm'nn, W.) | Pownall, Lieut.-Colonel Assheton | Younger, Sir George |
| Hope, James F. (Sheffield, Central) | Pulley, Charles Thornton | |
| Hope, Lt.-Col. Sir J. A. (Midlothian) | Purchase, H. G. | TELLERS FOR THE AYES.… |
| Hope, J. D. (Berwick & Haddington) | Ramsden, G. T. | Lord E. Talbot and Captain Guest. |
| Hopkinson, A. (Lancaster, Mossley) |
| NOES. | ||
| Acland, Rt. Hon. F. D. | Galbraith, Samuel | Kenworthy, Lieut.-Commander J. M. |
| Adamson, Rt. Hon. William | Glanville, Harold James | Lawson, John J. |
| Barnes, Major H. (Newcastle, E.) | Graham, D. M. (Lanark, Hamilton) | Lunn, William |
| Bowerman, Rt. Hon. Charles W. | Griffiths, T. (Monmouth, Pontypool) | Malone, C. L. (Leyton, E.) |
| Brace, Rt. Hon. William | Grundy, T. W. | Morgan, Major D. Watts |
| Brown, James (Ayr and Bute) | Guest, J. (York, W. R., Hemsworth) | Myers, Thomas |
| Cairns, John | Hall, F. (York, W. R., Normanton) | Newbould, Alfred Ernest |
| Cape, Thomas | Hartshorn, Vernon | Parkinson, John Allen (Wigan) |
| Carter, W. (Nottingham, Mansfield) | Hayward, Major Evan | Raffan, Peter Wilson |
| Clynes, Rt. Hon. J. R. | Henderson, Rt. Hon. A. (Widnes) | Robertson, John |
| Davies, A. (Lancaster, Clitheroe) | Hirst, G. H. | Rose, Frank H. |
| Davison, J. E. (Smethwick) | Hogge, James Myles | Royce, William Stapleton. |
| Devlin, Joseph | Holmes, J. Stanley | Sexton, James |
| Edwards, C (Monmouth, Bedwellty) | Irving, Dan | Shaw, Thomas (Preston) |
| Finney, Samuel | Jones, J. J. (West Ham. Silvertown) | Short, Alfred (Wednesbury) |
| Sitch, Charles H. | Tillett, Benjamin | Young, Robert (Lancaster, Newton) |
| Smith, W. R. (Wellingborough) | Tootill, Robert | |
| Swan, J. E. | Walsh, Stephen (Lancaster, Ince) | TELLERS FOR THE NOES.— |
| Thomas, Rt. Hon. James H. (Derby) | Waterson, A. E. | Mr. Tyson Wilson and Mr. Nell Maclean. |
| Thomson, T. (Middlesbrough, West) | Wignall, James | |
| Thorne, W. (West Ham, Plaistow) | Wood, Major M. M. (Aberdeen, C.) |
§ Bill accordingly read the Third time, and passed.
§ The remaining Government Orders were read, and postponed.