Foreign News: Sinking Stanley

When Lucy and the Rt. Hon. Stanley Baldwin returned last September from their annual water cure at Aix-les-Bains, she was said to have successfully bucked him up, persuaded him out of his strong desire to resign as Leader of the Conservative Party.

Ever since the fall of his Government 16 months ago, the post of Leader has been torture to Mr. Baldwin. Every morning, every evening the newspapers of Baron Beaverbrook, ruthless “Hearst of England,” badger him to resign, give insulting reasons—the real reason being that Lord Beaverbrook wants to become Mr. Baldwin’s successor. Last week was one of the worst poor Stanley has ever gone through, supported by indomitable, pious Lucy, one of the last great Victorians.

Badgered Leader Baldwin had announced a meeting of all Conservative M.P.’s and peers to vote on the question of his leadership. As fast as presses could print, Baron Beaverbrook demanded that all Conservatives who had stood at the last election or are scheduled to stand at the next should also attend. Logic of this demand: men who were defeated under Leader Baldwin would be likely to vote against him.

That afternoon Mr. Baldwin announced that the meeting would be composed as Lord Beaverbrook wished.

Two days later Beaverbrook papers stirred all Britain with a triumphant report of doings the night before at St. Stephen’s Club, a Conservative sanctum just across the street from Parliament where history has often been made. With a brewer, Colonel John Gretton, in the chair, 44 Conservative M.P.s were announced to have signed the following manifesto to the Conservative party whips:

“We, the subjoined members of the House of Commons, submit that a change of leadership is essential to the national interest.”

It seemed that this dagger thrust, coming just before the meeting summoned by Mr. Baldwin, meant his demise as Leader. But even as Baron Beaverbrook savored his triumph, Brewer Gretton suddenly found himself in bad odor. He found that a great many Conservatives considered the manifesto “not cricket” (dirty politics). Within a few hours Brewer Gretton and four other Conservatives whose names were supposed to be on the manifesto informed Leader Baldwin that they had not signed it.

Strengthened by his enemies’ foul play, but still doubtful of what lay in store, Stanley Baldwin went to Caxton Hall. The big Conservative meeting rose and cheered him while Baron Beaverbrook glowered. Attempting to defend Leader Baldwin, loyal Viscount Hailsham of Hailsham unwittingly disclosed the real temper of the conclave when, at the conclusion of his speech, he asked, indicating Mr. Baldwin, “Who is there to take his place?”

“You! You! You!” cried a score of voices until Lord Hailsham frantically waved this suggestion down. Pale but determined, Mr. Baldwin then asked for “a free hand in determining the party’s fiscal policy.” All in favor were to signify by raising their right hands. Short-sighted Leader Baldwin peered about the hall. “Carried unanimously!” he announced at last, drew an exclamation resembling an oath from Baron Beaverbrook.

“Um, no, no!” cried Leader Baldwin, hastily amending his announcement. “There is one dissentient.”

There had been more than one. It would not do for honest Stanley Baldwin to hand himself a major vote of confidence by these same bumbling means. When the vote of confidence was taken there was careful tabulation: 462 votes for Leader Baldwin; 116 against him.

Beaverbrook strategy had completely failed. Mr. Baldwin had again been “lucky,” according to his friends, but Mrs. Baldwin is well known to refer at such times to “Divine Providence.”

Enemies pointed out that the vote lines up more than one-quarter of the Conservative Party against its Leader, a most ominous percentage. Next day the Beaverbrook cohorts were again in triumphant fettle, had a new reason why the Leader should resign.

In the constituency of South Paddington (in which stands London’s famed Paddington Station) a by-election had just been held. South Paddington has been almost immemorially Conservative, but last week the regular Conservative candidate, the Baldwin candidate, Sir Herbert Lidiard, lost to the Beaverbrook candidate, Vice-Admiral Ernest Augustus Taylor. At the next election Baron Beaverbrook, unless chosen Mr. Baldwin’s successor, threatens to run his own candidates in constituencies all over England. His success last week made it seem that Mrs. Baldwin and Divine Providence must work overtime to save their Stanley.