Evening star., 1944-03-29
Russians Press Toward Odessa;
Vote Of Confidence Is Demanded
By Churchill After House Defeat
War Leadership
Stuked on Minor
Domestic Issue
BY the Associated Press.

LONDON, Mar. 29.-To the
cheers of the House of Com
mons, Prime Minister Churchill
today bluntly demanded it's sup
port all down the line for his
governments program and called
for a vote of confidence, stalking
his war leadership on the single
issue of an amendment to ar
education bill.
Taking up the challenge posed by
a one-vote defeat last night, the
Prime Minister refused to distin-
guish between a domestic problem
and the basic issue of the govern
ment's leadership.
At the next sitting of Commons
he said, an amendment providing
for equal pay for men and women
teachers-written in over the gov
|ernment's objection-willb be stricken
out by the government and'"this act
Of deletion will be regarded as a
vote Of confidence in the present ad-
ministration. If the government does
not secure an adequate majority
supporting deletion of the amend
ment) it will entail the usual con-
stitutional consequences"
Next Meeting Not Disclosed.
These are the resignation of the
government and the formation of a
new cabinet. British censorship
does not permit correspondents to
tell when Commons will meet next,
but 1t may be tomorrow.
To suggestions that the amend
ment in no way involved lack of
confidence, Mr.. Churchill declared:
Il cannot attempt to control the
activities of members. I can merely
offer them some suggestions as to
the consequences which may attend
their actions. Certainly we cannot
go on to the present basis of gov
eminent which has been defeated
after the language used from this
bench, and into the very great tasks
that lie Immediately in front of u.s.
He was interrupted often by cheers
and once-when he declared "it real
ly is impossible to distinguish be-
tween a vote on domestic policy and
a vote on the general policy OF the
war in this country"-by some cries
Of rubbish"
Clause to BE Deleted.
When he went into Commons to-
day Mr.. Churchill turned immedi-
ately to the teacher wage issue and
declared:
Events Of yesterday require an
alteration in government business.
1t would not be possible for the gov
ernment to leave matters where they
stood.
"At this very serious time in the
progress OF the war there must be
no doubt of the support which the
government enjoy from the House. u
Accordingly" the Prime Min
lister said, I'VE have decided as the
first business of the next sitting day
to resume the committee stage on
the education bill, and to delete
clause 50 as amended entirely from
the bill"
This was the amendment provid-
ing equal pay for women and men
teachers, provision which the
House as a committee approved, lit
to 1l6.
First Defeat in Four Years.
The setback, overriding the oppo-
sition of Education Minister Harold
Butler, was the first defeat suffered
by Mr.. Churchill's government since
it was formed four years ago.
Laborite Emanuel Shinwen, who
led the bitterly debated fight for
equal pay for teachers, sought again
to keep the issue separate from the
question of confidence.
He asked the Prime Minister 'if
he could find it possible to distin-
guish between a deliberate vote of
the House on domestic issue and
any lack of confidence by the House
in the government on general is
sues?"
Il am afraid 7 cannot alter in
any way the statement I have
made" Mr.. Churchill replied. 1T
really is impossible to distinguish
between a vote on domestic policy
and vote on the general policy OF
the war in this country"
This brought some cries of "Non-
sense" from the House.
Last nights rebuff followed an
angry debate.
Mr.. Churchill conferred for hours
with the war cabinet about the
governments position and Their
drafted a statement for presentation
to Commons. It was reported that
MIR. Butler had offered his resigna-
ton at the cabinet meeting, but the
report later was denied with the
explanation that Mr.. Butler regard
ed the vote as rebuke to the gov
ernment rather than to himself per-
sonally.
The Education Minister had main.
tanned that acceptance of tn.
(See HuTTPrJTT Doro EN