Deadly Serious

A new session of Parliament opened last week. The black-robed, bewigged Speaker strode up behind the gold mace and seated himself in his canopied chair. Prime Minister Clement Attlee came in early, lounged comfortably on his front bench, upped his feet on the table before him. Then Anthony Eden, Acting Deputy Leader of the Opposition, immaculate as ever but notably greyer, settled down on his own front bench, with his feet on the same table. Only six feet separated the Labor and Tory soles.

Eden opened with a firm demand for a four-day debate on the coal nationalization bill. Government leaders made it clear that they were deadly serious about their nationalization program. Listed by Labor for passage this year were:

> Nationalization of coal, civil aviation, overseas cable and radiotelegraph services, inland transport. The nationalization of iron and steel was still under consideration, but it looked a likely starter for 1946.

> A better-than-Beveridge bill to provide cradle-to-the-grave security for all.

> A national health service for every Briton, regardless of income.

> A bigger workmen's compensation bill.

> A capital investment bill to bring all private investment under Government supervision.

High priority would go to repeal a legal curb which Labor has resented for 19 years--the ban on general and political strikes, passed by the Conservatives after the great strike of 1926.

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