§ Mr. Frank AllaunI beg to ask leave to present a Petition which has been signed by 5,500 workers in the newspaper and printing trade, all belonging to their respective trade unions.
The Petition concerns the issue which dominates our age, the avoidance of nuclear war. It pleads, in particular, that there should be an ending of H-bomb tests. It reads:
That each nuclear bomb test spreads an added burden of radio-active elements over every part of the world. Each added amount of radiation causes damage to the health of human beings all over the world and causes damage to the pool of human germ plasma such as to lead to an increase in the number of seriously defective children that will be born in future generations.So long as these weapons are in the hands of only three powers an agreement for their control is feasible. If testing continues, and the possession of these weapons spreads to additional Governments, the danger of outbreak of a cataclysmic nuclear war through the reckless action of some international leader will be greatly increased.An agreement to stop nuclear bomb tests now—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Member is entitled to give only the gist of the Petition, not the whole of it.
§ Mr. AllaunThe Petition concludes:
Wherefore your Petitioners pray that the House will make an urgent and determined effort to secure international agreement for 1004 the immediate cessation of all nuclear weapon tests.And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.In order to save the time of the House, Mr. Speaker, I do not wish the Clerk to read the Petition.
§ To lie upon the Table.