The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-07-08
TORIES ASSIST
LABOR" DELAY
ON SOVIET union
Propose u. S. be Asked
If It Has Any
Objections
Defy Stimson Threat
British Navy Demands
parity" Likewise

LONDON, July THE tory par
ty members Of the House of Com
mons are again rushing to the as
sistancc OF Ramsay Macdonald, who
is exerting every effort to find ways
of postponing and devitalizing his
promised recognition Of the Union
of Socialist Soviet Republics. Mac
Donald was elected largely on his
solemn pledge that diplomatic rela
tions with the first workers republic
would be Immediately renewed.
He has delayed on one excuse or
another, and has now been given
one more by Commander Carlton
B4llayre, conservative, who placed
on the list of questions for the
ministry to answer one demanding
whether the government had dis
cussed with the spokesman Of the
United States the question of rec
ognizing the Soviet Union.
Arthur Henderson, MacDonald's
"labor" minister of foreign affairs,
is expected to answer that this has
not been done, but that it opens up
a new problem, and that the govern
ment is still Considering" the best
ways to 60 about the recognition.
Excuse to Build Up Navy.
The adherents of the Macdonald
party are beginning to assist Mac
Donald's imperialist activities and
give him excuses for building a
larger navy by the means Of such
questions, also. Colonel Josiah
Wedgewood, labor party, has given
notice of question to be answered
Thursday which reads: SIS an in
quiry into the possibility of an agree
ment between His Majesty's govern
nient and the United States as to
what precisely should be held to
constitute freedom of the seas and
right of search and seizure of pri-
vate property at sea in time of war,
or whether any transaction which
was initiated but uncompleted by
the late cabinet is now being pro-
ceeded with and does the Prime Min
lister hope to be in position to dis
Gus this difference Of opinion if any
and to decide the matter when he
goes to Washington"
He'll Give EN- Parity.
Macdonald has announced that if
Stimson wants parity" of U. S. and
British navies, the labor cabinet will
build enough ships to. have parity
also. All naval officers understand
that the difficulty of balancing two
navies exactly will give each coun-
try always q chance to build one
more cruiser to overcome some al
legged superiority of the other coun-
try. The naval race is on.
The liberal party press is engag-
ing In some fun by means OF fanci-
full proposals in regard to naval
bases.
And everybody knows that the
suggestion to turn over British i'm
perialist interests in the Caribbean
to its bitter rival, the United States,
will not get very far.
Grab the Cash.
The ministry is raising its sal
aries. The salary of Lord j. h.
Thomas, Lord of the Privy Seal,
was yesterday declared raised from
$4,000 year to $4,000. Mac
Donald himself draws $4,000 and
is quietly sounding out his support
ers as to their opinion about doubl-
ing it. Macdonald has before this
exhibited a real fondness for much
higher wages for himself than those
of the half-starved coal miners
whose eight-hour bill he has not yet
reduced to seven, as he promised. he
got into considerable scandal in his
last term in office by being exposed
as the recipient of a high priced
motor car with an allowance for all
it's expenses, taken from a wealthy
and noble admirer who was in some
temporary difficulties with the law
at the time.