The sun., 1919-02-23
German Propagan-
da Led by Buelow
Is Blamed for La
= boris VIII ole sale
and Extreme De-
mands, Including
Agrarian Pro-
gramme
By F. cUNLIFFE.owEN.


- himself. at the close OF the
L = general election just before
Christmas at the head Of a parlia-
mentary majority Of unprecedented
magnitude, and under ordinary condi-
tons the future OF his administration
would seem to be assured. yet there
In much concern as to the duration Of
its existence.
Indeed there are many who insist
that its life will be brief. 1t is just
possible that matters may be brought
to q crisis on Thursday next, when the
Prime Minister is scheduled to In
augurate a national conference Of en-
ployers and trade unions. organised
by the Minister OF Labor, Sir Robert
Horne, In the hope Of reconciling the
differences between capital and labor.
There is very little. I fear. to be
hoped from the conference. To begin
with It bids fair to prove unwieldy.
since II is to number 600 or 700 MEM
berS. Then the demands confronting
the employers are Of arbitrary and
even a ruinous character.
Even II some sort OF a compromise
were reached, which Is improbable.
owing to the attitude OF the trade
unions on the one hand and the nom
possumus OF the employers on the
other. there is no assurance whatso-
ever that any agreement negotiated by
the convention would be adhered to by
the trades represented there, or ac-
cepted by the remainder OF labor-by
the masses OF Great Britain.
Capital, too, as a whole, would de-
cline to consider itself bound by
pledges extorted under pressure from
the employers of labor more immedi-
ateiy represented at Sir Robert Horne's
conference. Finally. II must be borne
in mind that the new Parliament Is
Conservative rather than Liberal. as
the Unionists have nearly 400 seats in
a House Of Commons of roo members
while If the Liberals comprised in the
Coalition are crowded in the Govern
ment party can command nearly $50
votes.
None Ever Had Such Majority.
No Premier has ever before found
himself at the head Of so huge a
majority in the Commona The diff
Guilty OF his position lies in the fact
that owing to the bulk OF his ajority
being Conservative he has been
obliged to give the most important
portfolios in his administration to
Conservative statesmen. who will TO
a great extent influence his policies,
and deter him from making those con-
cessions to labor demanded by the
latter for the quieting Of the social
unrest of the masses.
Here in America we might view this
condition of affairs, and the contin-
gency of an early collapse OF the
Lloyd George administration. with a
certain amount OF detachment, were
It not for the bearing which any de-
feat of the English Cabinet and any
trouble in the United Kingdom would
have on the destinies of the interna-
tional Peace Conference in Paris.
II is no use closing ones eyes to the
fact that a defeat of the Lloyd George
Government would affect Great Bril-
tain's relations with France, and pro-
mote the interests of Germany, in this
sense, that 1t would bring England
especially IL there was Labor
Cabinet-to adopt a more conciliatory
policy toward the Germans, not only
in q military and international sense
but what Is much more to the point,
with regard to economic issues.
One OF the most difficult features
OF the list of demands constituting the
platform of British labor is for the
abandonment of everything in the
nature OF reprisals In dealing with
the Central Powers, coupled with an
insistence on the speedy resumption
of economic relations with Germany,
immediate rehabilitation OF the army
and navy, and an end once for all.
to anything like CONSUMPTION.
Labor, indeed, is to such an extent
afraid of a possible resumption OF the
war that 1t demands that the nation
he prepared for any sacrifices-to
Germany of course-which may be
necessarX~to secure a lastt"g peace,
and the realization of the Ideas with
that aim contained In President Will
sons original League of Nations
project. British labor would even be
willing to go so far as to agree to
restore her colonies to Germany,
thereby estranging England's own
oversee dependencies, II this could
eliminate all possibility of future wars.
Wilson'S Sympathy Assumed.
Perhaps the most dangerous fea-
ture OF the situation, from the point
OF view of the Entente, is that British
labor has acquired the impression
that II has, in these particulars al
any rate, the sympathy and the mora
support of President Wilson-whict
! am convinced is not the case. Ger.
man agents have done everything
possible to spread this belief in the
United Kingdom. Their hand and
their money are apparent everywhere
in the promotion OF the labor move
ment against capital, and against the
Government and in the fostering Of
general unrest among the masses.
The German propaganda Is beinI
pushed under the astute direction o
Prince Bernard Buelow formel
Chancellor of the Empire. and through
his mothers family identified with all
the big business interests of Germany
British labor. in one word, is. thanks
80 its ,emsSrtahle ignorance OF foreign
anairs, political and economic, Ger
uniting Itself TO be made the instru
nent of Germany for Influencing tn
masses of the United Kingdom aRains
all the best interests OF the Entente