Vicious Circle

COMMONWEALTH (British Commonwealth of Nations')

The political situation in Great Britain did not change during the past week. Floods of rumors were printed; few of them had any foundation in fact. The situation was unsettled and is likely to remain so for some months.

Indications were not lacking that Premier Baldwin will resign after Parliament is opened on Jan. 8 and will advise the King to ask Ramsay MacDonald, Labor leader, to form a Ministry. Mr. MacDonald's policy is sure to be pro-German and anti-French--pro-German to the extent of actively assisting Germany to find her financial feet by peaceable methods; anti-French to the extent of opposing France's "continental policy." He will also be sure to accord immediate de jure recognition to Soviet Russia. Labor circles in London let it be known, however, that no immediate attempt to force capital levy on the country would be made by a Labor Government. Because of this statement, Labor was considered to have improved its position with regard to a bid for office.

The situation of the Conservatives and the Liberals was obscure. Attempts at a modus vivendi agreement between the two parties were reported, but a substantially satisfactory arrangement was not made. The Conservatives with the largest number of seats in the House were inclined to stick by their protection policy, observing quite truthfully that the major part of the Imperial Conference work would be wasted if they failed to put protective tariffs into force. They also held that only by protection can unemployment be checked. The Liberals were diametrically opposed to this view from every angle. There was hope, nevertheless, that the two Parties would be able to come to a working agreement in order to present a solid front to Labor. But this would mean definitely shelving protection.

The great weakness of the Baldwin Government is that it has offered no alternative proposal to protection for the cure of the unemployment malady. The Laborites have effectively challenged the Conservatives on this scorr which act has brought them increased popularity.

It is a mistake to imagine, however, that the British people in any way fear the Labor Party which now contains some of the best brains in Britain. Those who are violently opposed to the policies for which Labor stands are only too anxious that the Party should be called to power in order that their policies can be exposed as fallacious and the whole Labor movement condemned. More moderate people among the Conservatives and Liberals believe that it is only by letting the Laborites have power that the radical tendencies of the Party can be cured.

Whatever happens, British politics will continue to career about in a vicious circle until another, and probably not far-distant, general election restores some semblance of rectangular solidity in the House of Commons. Until that time, whichever party holds the reins of the stately old Government coach, that worthy vehicle will continue to circle an eccentric perimeter, despite the efforts of the Cabinet driver to go straight ahead.