New-York tribune., 1919-05-04
Lloyd George Holds Firm
Control on Parliament
and Is Gaining Favor
With Labor Elements
May Form a New Party
Governments Budget Has
Met Only Minor Criticism;
Free Traders Still Active
Nclc Yorir Trit unc
Special Cable .Ce,.7.ice

Special Cable Seruico
Copyright. 1919. New York Tribune Inc)
LONDON, May 3.-Imperial pref
erence is the only feature of the budget
which arouses considerable amount
OF criticism The Liberals, who natu-
rally are the strangest opponents Of
the policy of preference, are only
mildly critical The free traders will
fight for their principles, but they ap-
parently believe that the time has not
arrived for a decisive struggle. There
is little possibility of important politi-
cal changes until after the peace con-
ference has adjourned, and then
further time must elapse before it is
known whether Lloyd George will or
ganize new party.
Austen Chamberlain's budget is con-
sidered to have features appealing to
all classes without fully satisfying any
one. Most people are pleased that
there is no increase in the income tax.
Tho manufacturers rejoice over the re-
iact,0a IN the excess profits tax. The
protectionists applaud the preference
given to colonial imports. But it is
felt that the budget is merely modi-
ication of its predecessors to suit the
transition period from war to peace
conditions, With three anti-govern-
ment members elected to Parliament in
the last two months, politicians are
giving deep thought to the position
Lloyd George is likely to take and the
policy of the Nortncliffe support.
Labor Party Growing
In the Central Aberdeen election
Labor polled 3,482 votes in district
never contested hitherto. 1t is impos-
sibe to ignore the growth of the po-
litcal labor movement in England or
to blink the fact that the party is or
ganizing a powerful machine. On the
other hand the extremists are rapidly
losing their influence.
A keen and impartial judge esti-
mates that there ere not more than
one thousand Bolshevistically inclined
workers in England at the present
time Even the Independent Labor
party, whose leaders include Philip
SHorden, Ramsay Mcdonald, Fred Jow-
a. George Lansbury and other paci-
fses has adopted such a relatively
mild programme that they are almost
in line with the real Labor party. Con-
sttutional rather than Bolshevik meth
DDS are the only ones in favor in this
country.
Lloyd George has written the joint
industrial conference committee ac
cepting the principle of minimum wage
and maximum hours of employment
stating that bill will be introduced
by the government appointing q COM
mission to study the whole question:
10 pnrta Cf ici
the political and industrial future can
not be overlooked. Lloyd George is
steadily moving toward the Left, and
the time must come when he will be
forced to break with many of his pres
ent political associates. This time is
unlikely to come, however, before early
tall. When the workers representa-
tives began an investigation of the
coal situation they believed they would
obtain NATURALIZATION OF the mines,
but recent Developments have weak
ened their confidence
Smillie. the miners leader, is now
making desperate effort to force the
commission to report in favor of ma
sonalizatiOn: By skilful cross-exami-
nation he is trying to win public
opinion to his side, and the climax will
come next week, when he will examine
several dukes who receive large royal
ties from mines on their estates
Premier Still Strong
1t is highly improbable that any de-
4 clslon reached at Paris will result in a
political overturn here. Lloyd George
IS IN complete control of Parliament
to-day, and he is still remarkably
strong in the country. That the year
VIII see another Parliament is the
OPINION of members of all three
parties, and they are also agreed that
u VIII come as a result of foht nnon