18 APRIL 1914, Page 2

On Monday one of the chief points of discussion was

the means of raising money for electoral purposes. The Inde- pendent Labour Party has seven members in the present House of Commons, and it was announced that, though many candidates were ready to stand at the next election, there were no funds. "There is not a penny in band if the next General Election cornea in July," said the treasurer of the Council It was agreed to raise a voluntary shilling levy in addition to the amounts received locally. The methods of the Parliamentary Labour Party were considered in private. It is understood that Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, who was hotly attacked for having entered into alliance with the Govern. ment, defended his actions on the ground that the unity of the Parliamentary Labour Party was necessary, and that he only supported the Government when it was advisable to do so. On Tuesday the subjects of the unity of the Parliamentary Labour Party, the relation of the Trade Union members to

the members of the Independent Labour Party, and the relation of the whole Parliamentary Party to the Govern- ment were, further discussed. In spite of Mr. Ramsay MacDonald's defence, the majority of the speeches showed that there was a strong suspicion of undue subserviency to the Liberal Party. The discussion took place on a resolution condemning Cabinet rule, and it is important to notice that this resolution was carried by a very large majority-333 to 78.