MacDonald (Ramsay)

A collection of letters, ephemera and volumes related to British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald, including: 29 letters from MacDonald to Ernest J. Titler, covering various topics, from MacDonald's good wishes for Titler's success in a forthcoming election ("When the national crisis arose there was a small group of Labour members, and outside Parliament a number of candidates and others, among whom you were one, who risked their careers and their capacity to be in public life of use to their fellows, because they felt that the course of my colleagues and I were taking was right and that they must therefore support it. As Prime Minister I am concerned at this election to see that the nation gets the strong and stable Government which it needs; and I can honestly say that your return would add greatly to the strength and stability of the Government, for we shall have great need on the Government benches of men and women of different views and sympathies [...] I am appealing as head of the Government for a free hand to deal firmly and effectively with the many pressing questions which face the country [...] We shall carry on together our old work for peace; we shall strive for international settlements which will put an end to impossible efforts to pay vast sums in War Debts and Reparations; we shall watch vigilantly the effect of the devalued currency on the standards of life of our people and shall not hesitate to take action against it", three pages, 4to, 10 Downing Street, 12th October 1931) to trade union policy ("Thank you very much for showing me the resolutions on the trade union policy you propose to put down for our next meeting. You might look again at the first and the last. The first strikes me as being apt to be regarded by our Labour opponents as a bit of arm flinging and gesticulation. They would say, for instance, 'Why ask your staff to join a Trade Union? Why not make trade union membership a condition of employment?', As you know, they are very anxious to make all their views compulsory. The last sentence advising employers to concede the right of any employee to join a union is rather weak. It should proceed upon the lines of asking employers to deal with trade grievances by negotiation, and urging trade unionists to keep rigidly to the provisions of agreements thus come to, and to discourage unauthorised strikes as being damaging to their economic interest and their honour. The point about the fourth resolution is that compulsory arbitration has never emerged with added strength from any thorough investigation that has been made into its practical possibilities", two pages, 4to, Privy Council Office, 13 November 1936, with enclosed draft of the trade union policiy discussed in the letter), to engagements ("I have had your letter and the programmes of your Concert on Thursday the 12th, and I wish I could be with you. But the House of Commons will be sitting that evening and Government business taken, and no doubt there will be divisions. I am afraid it would be impossible for me to leave the ship in those circumstances", one page, 4to, 10 Downing Street, 11 March 1931;"I find it very difficult to say definitely at this early date that I can be in London on the 14th February. I am sure you will understand that if it is possible for me to remain away in Lossiemouth till about the end of the month, I ought not to make any engagements that would shorten my holiday there by a fortnight. I told you that I should be delighted to do it if I could, but I do not think I said anything more definite than that", one page, 4to, Privy Council Office, 19 October 1936; "I am trying to get my diary into something like order. There is so much to go in it, however, that I shall not be able to see you until the House of Commons meets on account of the uncertainty of matters connected with its business which may be thrust upon me at any moment", one page, 4to, Privy Council Office, 22 October 1936); the situation of the Labour Party ("I am much obliged by your letter which reached me yesterday. Had you given me the chance, I should have liked to discuss your letter before you send it to the press, but as it has gone it is just as well that it is a purely spontaneous statement of your own views. I only wish there were thousands like you understand how the spirit and the power of Labours are being lowered under the present leadership", two pages, 8vo, Lossiemouth, 15 August 1936); Christmas greetings ("What a nice cigarette box filled with appropriate things you have given me. I thank you so much. I hope you will have a very Happy Christmas and that 1933 will bring far fewer troubles than this dying year as brought", two pages, 8vo, Lossiemouth, 22 December 1932; "Thank you very much for your Christmas remembrances. I send you the accompanying box of tobacco, which I hope you will enjoy, with all my best New Year's thoughts", one page, 8vo, 29 December 1935); also including: four postcards from MacDonald to Titler, 1936-1937; four Christmas cards from MacDonald; invitations and menus related to event organised by the National Labour Committee; typed agenda of the inaugural meeting of the National Labour Candidates' Association on July 13th, 1938; typed seating arrangements for a lunch of the National Labour Committee in honour of the Prime Minister at the Trocadero on November 6th, 1933; several political brochures and leaflets (National Labour and National Government, speeches delivered by Mr J Ramsay McDonald, 1935; Sweating in the Catering Trade, an exposure of the conditions and the way out for workers, n.d.; Labour Party- the crisis and the Nation. by the National Labour Party Commission. (1924-1931); We Can Conquer Unemployment (1929); Can Lloyd George Do It? The Peldge Examined (1929); Official Reports, Parlimentary Debates (April 1930 and April 1932) and others); Marquand (David) Ramsay MacDonald, hardback, 1977; Mr Titler's Labour Party membership card for 1931; two posters reading "Ramsey MacDonald. The Captain who stuck to the ship" published by the National Labour Party and other electoral posters published by the Liberal Party (quantity)