GREAT BRITAIN: General Election

“My lords and members of the House of Commons … in bidding you farewell, I earnestly commend you to the merciful protection and guidance of Almighty God.”

Thus from the Throne spoke George V last week, prorogued Parliament, plunged his realm into what Laborite William Graham called “one of the most savage elections of modern times.”

In his high silk hat, in his bankerish tailcoat, Labor Party Leader Arthur Henderson looks neither savage nor Socialist. But savage to British bankers seemed the election manifesto which mild “Uncle Arthur” was forced (by radical elements now ascendant in the Labor Party) to issue last week. Supposing that Labor wins the election, Leader Henderson, paunchy & bankerish, stands grotesquely pledged to fulfill as Prime Minister his new manifesto’s savage terms. Excerpts:

“A decisive opportunity has been given to the nation to reconstruct the foundations of its life. The capitalist system has broken down even in those countries where its authority was thought to be most secure. . . . We must plan our civilization or perish. The Labor Party recognizes that the present situation calls for bold and rapid action. The decay of the capitalist civilization brooks no delay. . . .

“The country’s banking and credit system can no longer be left in private hands. It must be brought directly under national ownership and control. The Labor Party is further convinced of the need to form a national investment board with statutory powers for the control of domestic and foreign investments. . . .

“The Labor Party . . . believes general acceptance of President Hoover’s moratorium on War debts permits reconsideration of the whole question. It seeks immediate reopening of negotiations between the signatories of the Young Plan and the United States with a view to attaining conditions in which inter-Allied war debts and reparations may be canceled. . . .

“The Labor Party urges definite planning of industry and trade so as to produce the highest standard of life for the nation. As a first step it proposes to reorganize the most important basicindustries—power, transport, iron and steel— as public services owned and controlled in the national interest. . . .

“Labor in power will remove the unjustified restrictions upon trades union activity introduced by the Tory Government in 1927. . . . The party pledges itself to reverse immediately the harsh policy of the National [MacDonald] Government in reducing unemployment benefits [the dole].”

Worried Emperor. Simple Arithmetic. Thus the party that once was James Ramsay MacDonald’s pledged itself last week: 1) to nationalize the business of British bankers; 2) to wring cancellation of War Debts & Reparations from President Hoover* 3) to reorganize British industry a la Russe under an X-Year Plan; 4) to restore to British unions the right to organize another British General Strike (TIME, May 10 to 24, 1926); 5) to increase British dole payments (British unemployed added up to an official all-time record total of 2,825,772 last week, almost 10% of the electorate).

Plainly it was no wonder that George V tried, as Britons learned he did, to dissuade Prime Minister MacDonald up to the very last moment from advising (i. e. forcing) His Majesty to prorogue Parliament and throw Britain’s political future into the General Election pot.

Equally plainly, Scot MacDonald and the Conservative Party (bulwark of his National Government) believed last week that the risk of social upheaval is offset if not canceled by a strong probability that the Labor Party cannot win. In 1929 the Labor Party, led by Mr. MacDonald with a united front, polled 8.416,557 votes, the Conservatives 8,669,469, the Liberals 5,260,050.

Today Mr. MacDonald, having split the Labor Party, has the solid support of all Conservatives, numerous Liberals (for he has also split that party), and finally will swing many Labor votes to a new party which he organized last week, the National Labor Party. By extremely simple arithmetic British vote dopesters could figure Scot MacDonald triumphantly returning to Parliament supported by Conservatives, split-Liberals and National Laborites who had polled together a total of from 10.000.000 to 12,000.000 ballots. But voters have a habit of fooling dopesters. Example: the last German election was called in hopes of obtaining a stable Government majority, resulted in the Hitler landslide and no stable majority (TIME, Sept. 22), thus causing President von Hindenburg to decree the Brüning Dictatorship.

Lone Star Ramsay— Characteristically the Prime Minister, Scottish individualist, did not choose last week to form a “national political headquarters” for unified command and election strategy. Conservatives had urged at the very least a “national platform”; but Scot MacDonald left his Conservative and Liberal friends to fight their battles (and his) in informal unity. His own job, as he conceived it, was to get his National Labor Party going, put some 50 candidates in the field, campaign as a National Laborite for re-election in Seaham, his old constituency (TIME, Oct. 12).

To Seaham hurried Eldest Daughter Ishbel MacDonald, no candidate herself, to organize her father’s campaign in advance of his arrival. On his 65th birthday the tall, tired, silver-haired Scot breakfasted at No. 10 Downing Street, then dashed to Seaham, began the bitterest campaign of his life. “Blackleg!”‘, a few hostile Laborites shouted at him (equivalent to U. S. union men crying “Scab!”).

“Shadow Cabinet.” Left to cook up their own campaign, Conservative M. P.’s staged a cheery London rally at which Party Leader Stanley Baldwin received back into his “Shadow Cabinet” (board of strategy) obstreperous Winston Churchill. Stanley broke with “Winnie” over Conservative policy respecting India (TIME, Feb. 9); but with battles to be fought phlegmatic Stanley seemed overjoyed to have pugnacious Winnie back at his right hand. Son Randolph Churchill, Hearst reporter,* reported favorably. Manifestoed bumbling Mr. Baldwin, “I believe a great part will be played by those I am proud to lead.” Cautiously Leader Baldwin pledged the Conservative Party to reduce imports and increase exports, adding this daring (for him) statement: “In my view a tariff is the quickest and most effective weapon … to reduce imports.”

Once before Leader Baldwin went to the polls with a tariff platform, sustained heavy losses (TIME, Dec. 17, 1924), but Conservative Churchill and the entire fighting wing of the party are convinced that British voters (traditionally free traders) see tariffs today as the only cure for depression.

“Most Wanton Election!” David Lloyd George, nominal Leader of the Liberal Party from which so many Liberals have split off, stormed from his sickbed last week: “This election is the most wanton and unpatriotic into which this country has ever been plunged!” (i. e. Scot MacDonald has broken and ruined the Welshman’s party).

Some thirty Liberal M. P.’s led by Sir John Simon founded the National Liberal Party last week “to give firm support to the Prime Minister as head of the National Government and for the purpose of fighting in a general election.” Major Gwilym Lloyd George, M. P. (loyal son) promptly resigned his minor post in the Government (Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade) in protest. Miss Megan Lloyd George M. P. (loyal daughter) began her campaign for re-election with this shrill cry: “I shall fight on as a Liberal—under the same leader—Lloyd George!” Invalid Lloyd George himself called Labor Leader Henderson to his bedside at Churt. They talked for an hour, presumably about joining forces, have long been expected to do so.

Oliver Baldwin, M. P. (disloyal Red son of Conservative Leader Stanley Baldwin) onetime Laborite, onetime Mosleyite, announced that he will not stand for reelection, denounced Labor Leader Arthur Henderson as “a Kerensky,” explained morosely: “I must have Lenin.”

No Lenin is prankish Sir Oswald Mosley, rich playboy politico. Deserted by Oliver Baldwin and by his wife (Lady Cynthia Mosley M. P. excused herself from seeking re-election “on account of poor health”), Sir Oswald put-18-queer candidates, mostly athletes, in the field. His star candidate: “Kid” Lewis, whilom English middleweight champion, a pugilist of no political experience who will contest Whitechapel where he lives, is popular with the rabble.

“You Working Class Wives!” In Britain’s conglomerate, crazyquilt campaign last week certain statements by James Ramsay MacDonald struck the strongest keynotes, fired popular imagination.

“You trade unionists, you working class wives!,” throbbed the voice of the Prime Minister over the radio, “if you only could appreciate how the struggle in which we are engaged is your struggle, your feet would be swift in bringing you to the folds to support the National Government. . . .

“Your duty is plain—the nation first!”

* Conviction spread in Washington last week that the Hoover Administration had at last decided War Debts and Reparations must be scaled down, on a bargain basis of disarmament first (see p. 11).

*Recently hired by Publisher Hearst, Reporter Randolph strolled into the Hearst London Office, drawled, “I shall want a secretary and a typist,” learned that reporters secretary themselves and type their own.