Foreign News: Labor’s Day

A British weekend in the country lasts from Friday to Monday. It is a pleasant though dull national custom. But guests from Town last weekend had plenty to talk about. Britain’s “dullest election within the memory of living man” had dragged out its serpentine length and finally, suddenly snapped a cracker off its tail. Contrary to expert expectations,* final results snowed Labor with the greatest number of seats in the House of Commons.

Seats. Of the 615 House of Commons seats, 607 were contested, one election was deferred because of a candidate’s death.

Late results showed:

Laborites 287(net gain 135)

Conservatives 254(net loss 158)

Liberals 57(net gain 15)

Independents 4(net loss 2)

Nationalists 3

Prohibitionists 1

Unreported 8

Significance. If such an election were held in the U. S., the results would be obvious: the Laborites would be in power, the Conservatives would be the next most important group, the Liberals could be ignored. In England, however, precisely the reverse was the case. The 47 Liberals were most important of all, for in their hands was a balance of power between the Conservatives, who remained second-most important until Prime Minister Baldwin should be actually ousted by a vote in Parliament, and the Laborites, who could not decide what to do about their plurality until the other two parties made their moves.

Balance of Power. As a result of the ballot, grey-haired, brown-mustached James Ramsay MacDonald, leader of the Laborites, seemed likely to become a minority Prime Minister again. As during his first term (January-November 1924) the votes necessary for him to obtain a majority over the Conservatives on important party legislation lay in the control of that most professional political practitioner, bob-haired David Lloyd George. As before, Liberal Lloyd George could combine with whatever side he chose until it suited him to oppose the government on a confidence vote. Then another general election would be required.

The Leaders. While other British weekenders discussed the situation, made bets, offered advice, the three principals spent their weekend conferring with party colleagues. Stanley Baldwin retired to the prime ministerial estate, “Chequers,” in Buckinghamshire. Ramsay MacDonald went to Hampstead. David Lloyd George went to his country place in Surrey, chuckling to newsgatherers:

“It looks as if we shall hold the balance. That is a very responsible position and we shall make no unfair use of it. We certainly shall not use it in a haggling spirit, but for the best interests of the country. The King’s government must be carried on, and it is essential that it should be steady.”

Soon it was learned that Liberal Lloyd George was demanding three things as the price of his supporting either of the big parties:

1) Fulfillment of his Liberal campaign pledge to reduce unemployment by a program of public works.

2) Introduction of a bill to provide a reapportionment which would increase the number of House seats in districts where Liberal votes are many, House seats few.

3) No increase in the present tariff.

Theoretically, the Labor party could agree to all these conditions instantly, but personal enmity between Leaders Lloyd George and MacDonald continued to drive Liberals and Conservatives closer together than Liberals and Labor.

At “Chequers” Stanley Baldwin conferred with die-hard Tory leaders but decided to place his resignation before the King.

At Hampstead, Ramsay MacDonald considered himself already in power, spent the weekend picking a tentative Cabinet. Puffing happily on a cigar, his first smoke since he began campaigning early last month, he said: “The results are magnificent, but not surprising. The government has lost the confidence of the country and Labor has won it.

“Did the laboring people ever live in such an inspiring moment as this? When you read the figures this morning you saw the Labor polls were above the Conservative polls, and twice the Liberal polls. Did you ever think you would live to see that? Honestly, I did not.

“If I can prevent it, there shall be no further disturbance of this country by an election for two years. … I wish to make it quite clear that I am going to stand for no monkeying. It will rest with the two other parties, not with us, whether or not there will be an election within two years. … I have seen too much of the troubles and upsets to industry, finance and internal developments from unnecessary elections.”

One important obstacle to another election in the near future is the matter of campaign funds. The Liberal party alone had spent $570,000; the expenses of Laborites and Conservatives were even higher. It would be difficult to raise any more such sums from even the most loyal party members for some time to come.

Promises. Political observers re-examined the platform of the Labor party to see what might be expected if and when another MacDonald government runs Britain. The Labor party had advocated:

1) Recognition of Russia.

2) Disarmament.

3) Nationalization of coal mines and railways. The mining problem and the unemployment connected therewith, is vital to British politics.

4) Establishment of better relations with the U. S.

5) Development of Britain’s unused land, reforestation, roadbuilding, swamp-draining, etc.

Reactions. Abroad, the news of Labor’s victory was warmly received. In Washington, Naval officials pointed out that even though the Labor party had no clear majority, the diehard, nationalistic Tory group was definitely defeated. On receipt of the news President Hoover began planning to call another international conference on naval reductions.

Germany too was cheered at the prospect of a Labor government in Britain. All of the more liberal aspects of Britain’s foreign policy were inaugurated by the last MacDonald administration. German optimists foresaw speedy evacuation of the Rhineland, quick ratification of the Young Plan.

France and Fascist Italy, with whom the Baldwin government had been on the best of terms, were depressed at the prospect of a change.

Families. Politics is increasingly a family affair in England. With Ramsay MacDonald in Downing Street will be his hostess-daughter, Ishbel. Behind him on the Labor government benches will sit his son, Malcolm. With Malcolm, looking across at his overthrown Conservative father, will be Oliver Baldwin, son of Stanley. Sharing Lloyd George’s balance-of-power on the Liberal benches will be the Welshman’s round-faced daughter, Megan, and his son, Major Gwilym.

Arthur Henderson, potent Laborite lieutenant, will have his two sons, William and Arthur Jr., seated and ready to vote.

All of these are new M. P.’s except Major Gwilym George. Megan Lloyd George, though she was far younger when she lived at No. 10 Downing Street than was sober-sided Ishbel MacDonald, who was her father’s official hostess, is much the same quiet sort of girl and leaves flamboyance to her parent. Of all the progeny of the Big Three, the most curious is Oliver Baldwin, a young man once thin and precious, now plump and still precious. A member of Oxford’s most esoteric circles, he fought in the Armenian army, was imprisoned in Turkey, entered the Labor Party at home chiefly to annoy his father. He let a rumor go around for a while that he was engaged to marry Ramsay’s Ishbel. For campaigning purposes he affected a fuzzy chinpiece, Byronic hair and gestures.

¶ A highly publicized figure of the election was hard-hitting, dry-voting Lady Nancy Astor. At the end of a campaign that included everything from singing the national anthem to physical combat, she was returned to Parliament by the narrow squeak of 211 votes. Worn out by weeks of campaigning, she wept as the ballots were being counted and said: “I’m going back to Westminster anyway, and not back to Virginia as my opponents predicted. Thank God, I have never truckled to the liquor interests.”

¶ Even narrower than Lady Astor’s was the squeak of immaculate, bemonocled Sir Austen Chamberlain, Foreign Secretary of the Baldwin government. In the West Birmingham constituency which his late great father, “Joe” Chamberlain, pillar of Liberalism, established as a family vote-preserve, Sir Austen heard he had a lead of only 50 votes over his Labor opponent. Incredulous, he demanded a recount. His lead then shrank to 43. In contrast, Sir Austen’s humbler young halfbrother, Arthur Neville Chamberlain, Minister of Health, won what the London Times called “the most outstanding Conservative personal victory,” a majority of 15,000.

¶ England’s only legless Member of Parliament, Major Jack Benn Brunei Cohen, Conservative, was returned from Liverpool without difficulty.

¶ The last remaining Communist, Parsi Shapurgi Saklatvala, was heavily defeated.

*The final pre-election quotations on the London Stock Exchange were:

Bought Sold

Conservatives 273 269

Laborites 248 244

Liberals 90 95

Independents 8 6