The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-08-22
LABOR PARTY
MAY CONTROL
Stands Better Than Ever Before and
Political Experts SEQ
Chance for
Success.
IBy United Press.l


LONDON. tBy mall With the
rumblings of approaching dissolution
shaking the coalition government,
and recent Developments in the in
dustrial world. all eyes are turned
on the labor party in the house OF
commons and the question, How
long before labor government Is In
power?" which would have been
laughed at ten years ago. is asked
seriously.
For labor alone of the political
parties stands better than ever be-
fore. and political experts declare
that labor can never expect to ind
itself IN q more favorable position,
politically. The coalition is doomed,
but neither Of the old parties, liberals
and conservatives, can go back TO
their pre-war status. Many old lead
ers have been thrown overheard,
policies have been modified or aban-
doned and the breaking up of the
coalition would leave them shivering
like the babes in the wood, uncer-
tain which way to turn, or who to
look to.
Labor is not absolutely united in
parliament, there being several
groups, known as the labor party.
the independent labor party, the
miners representatives. and numer-
Gus freelances like Colonel John
Ward, the navy" M. p. who was
promoted to the command of bat
TALON in the war, G. B. Stanton, one
time miners agent, Commander j. H.
Wedgwood, one time liberal, and
Jack Jones, the common peoples
member" from east London.
The Independent labor party con-
tains the "intellectuals" like Philip
Snowden. Ramsay Macdonald, Sid
ney Webb and other regular social
lists. but for the purposes OF labor
government they would unite with
the larger group. And In the two
groups there are many good men,
who would doubtless make excellent
statesmen, and who would have the
support of people ordinarily bitterly
hostile to labor.
There are George N. Barnes, cabi-
net minister. who fathered the labor
covenant Of the peace treaty; q. h.
Roberts, food controller, in the pres
ent government; Stephen Walsh. at
present holding minor government
post; William Brace, Vernon Harris
horn. Will Thorne, James O'Grady,
J. H. Thomas. railwayman's leader,
William Adamson, the official leader
of the labor party: Arthur Hender-
son, and last but not least, Robert
Smillie, president Of the miners
federation Of Great Britain.
OF these Smillie stands out most
prominently from the vigorous part
he has taken in the settling of post
war labor problems, ana ne is PROB
&Io -f111 mo In, a
labor world today. Whether he or
any Of the others have the makings
of a premier remains to be seen, but
formulate a smashing, reasoned pro-
gram, and secure the spoils Of office.
1t is practically certain that labor,
today, could defeat both of the old
political parties working independ.
emily, and the proposed center party,
a combination of the two could not
be certain Of securing a majority
over the united ranks Of q parlia-
mentary labor. The formation Of a
new party Is always source OF
strength to its opponents, for seces-
sions are inevitable and in the IN
certainty labor would undoubtedly
gain many recruits.
The main problem for labor to
solve is whether the extremists are
to prevail At the last election the
extremists were roughly treated at
the polls, but while there has been
the inevitable reaction since the
signing of peace, their policy is not
popular. If the moderates IKE Adam
son, Brace, Barnes, Thomas and Rob-
erts can retain control a labor cabi-
net is not only possible but extremely
probable.