After less than an hour's discussion the bill explained by Mr. Attlee was read a second time without division.
After the House agreed to a resolution suspending standing orders Mr. Attlee rose to move the secon: t reading of the Emergency Powers Defence Bill. He said:
"I believe that in this critical time a vast majority of the people of this country will willingly give their services to the country and will do all that is asked of them. We introduce this bill not because we have any doubt as to the willingness of the people but because la a difficult emergency like this there must be necessary power in he Government."
Mr. Attlee explained that the operative part of the bill was an extension of the Emergency Powers Defence Act of 1939 and detailed main provisions of the bill.
The bill also provided for extension of the original act for another year.
"This act expires in August of this year," Mr. Attlee continued. "No one can tell quite what conditions there may be in August of this year, therefore it is best to extend the act now (hear, hear).
"I don't want anyone to jump to the conclusion that all of a sudden everybody is going to do something different from what he is doing now. The essential thing in an emergency is that people should continue at their jobs until ordered to do otherwise, (Continued on page 8, col. 3)
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.