Evening star., 1947-08-08
Commons Votes
.Att|ee Bill for
Crisis Powers
Churchill, Blasting
otoIitorionism,'
Foils to Halt Plan
By the Associated Pres,

AoNboAN, aug. o. 6TlLdln S
Socialist dominated House of
Commons today approved the
governments sweeping "crisis
powers" bill, described by Win
ston Churchill as "a blank check
for totalitarian government"
The House gave the bill a second
xeading-approving it in principle
without record vote. The govern
ment hoped to push the measure
through all remaining parliament
tary stages before the Commons
scheduled adjournment next We'd
nesday.
An amendment to reject the
measure was defeated, 251 to 148.
The Socialist government says the
bill is necessary for effective deal
ing with the British economic crisis.
1t would empower the government
to tell men and women where they
must work and to take over the
management of firms considered to
be operating inefficiently.
Churchill Recalls Hitler.
Home Secretary Chuter EIDE,
backing the bill, said: 1--WE believe
that this is crisis likely to move
forward with such rapidity that we
should have power to deal drastic
ally and swiftly with awkward situa-
tions that may aruse"
Mr.. Churchill snapped: Hitler
said that"
Launching powerful Conserva-
tive attack on Prime Minister Att
lees Spartan plans for meeting the
economic squeeze - which Labor
spokesman asserted were "appro-
PIRATE and neeessary"-Mr. Churchill
declared:
"The governments proposals will
mean the abrogation of Parliament
and of all our long cherished rights" /"
Refuses Cross Examination.
Speaking just before Mr.. Churchill
took the floor, Deputy Prime Min
lister Herbert Morrison declared:
I'VE are not going to be. cross
examined in advance as to exactly
what we will do with the powers
when we get them"
Mr.. Churchill maintained that the
labor and industry controls asked
by the government would destroy
British freedom, and added: :
These powers are the negation OF
British freedom and way of living
in time of peace"
He said the Socialist ministers
would be the absolute masters" OF
the country while Parliament was in
recess. It Is scheduled to adjourn
for the summer next week.
rs this necessary to the life of
the country?" he asked. TT would
mean a spate of alarm and discour-
agement and paralysis"
Mr.. Churchill declared that Mr..
Attlee's speech Wednesday - in
which the Prime Minister outlined
his work more, eat less" program
for Br!tain-was universally judged
to be inadequate"
Prime Minister Attacked.
Carrying on in a sharp personal
attack on the Prime Minister, Mr..
Churchill inquired:
Who is going to WELD these
powers? Not merely the prime min
lister, who seems increasingly an
amused passenger in the pleasure
boat"
He declared that the governments
ministers were men who were pre-
pared always to put the party be-
fore the nation.
In his speech, Mr.. Attlee had
called for the "Dunkerque spirit" to
overcome threatened dollar famine
born of fast spending and under
production.
you talk of Dunkerque spirit, -
Mr.. Churchill said. What would
Dunkerque have been If the little
boats were only going to take off
members of the trade unions and it
was said that we didn't care a
tinker's cuss for the rest?"
This apparently was reference to
Fuel Minister Emmanuel Shinwell's
speech several weeks ago in which
he was reported to have said I'VE