New-York tribune., 1922-12-03
British Labor
Plans Levy to
Pay U. Debt
Ramsay Macdonald, Chief Of
Commons Opposition, Says
Tax on Capital Is Only Way
Obligations Can Be Met
Split in Party Denied
Leader Asserts Intellectual
Wing and Unions United
More Closely Than Ever
By Harold E. Scarborough
Special co1is 10 TAs TStSus

Special coSIs 10 TAs TSs--s
LONDON. Dec. f.---At the end Of the
corridor. which leads from behind ths
speakers chair IN the House Of Com
mons, there Is . large private ofhce
which By custom belongs 10 the leader
Of the ParlismsntAry opposition.
Gladstone, Disrssli and other famous
figures have occupied Il, but never On.
III a few days ago was Il assigned 10
a Labor member. Nov, st the desk
before the cheerful Gre. there sits
Ramsay Macdonald. elected leader Of
lt3 Labor members Of Parliament,
while the leaders Of the historic lib
sral party must be content With
smaller rooms elsevhers.
Rather gnunt Of aspect, With bushy
gray mustiehs and desp-set eyes,
Macdonald outlined 70 me the policy
which the Labor party intends 20 pur-
sue on three Of the most important
questions facing the government-the
national debt and finance, the foreign
policy and Unemployment. First, how
ever. he took occasion 70 deny the
rumors growing out Of the estrange-
ment between the trade union and the
so-ealled intellectual wings Of the
Labor party.
Differences Are Buried
Never In my expeTisnes,' he said,
has the party bean so united as to-
day. We've sunk whatever differences
we had in the sndeavor TO make the
public consider the terms his msiesty's
opposition and Tabor party synony-
nous" Nevertheless, II may be re-
marked that Mr.. Macdonald has bis
hands full 70 keep a check on the moro
turbulent section Of his followers and
that no already seems somewhat worn
With the responsibility Of bis position.
Referring TO the capital levy. which
hs prefers to call the levy or sccumu.
lated wealth. he said, 1T 10 now up TO
the other parties to produce any al
temstive plans they may have for deal
ing with the national debt. know OF
none that Will enable ~ quickly 10
pay our debt 70 Ameries-to say moth
Ing Of tho Internal indebtedness--un-
less our scheme is adopted. In the next
session Of Parliament We intsnd 10 pre-
eip,tats 2 debate upon this subject, and
We hope 70 show that our plan instead
Of being eOnhScAtory. would really
enormously increase our financial
credit and prestige"
Oppose Move on Germany
Mr.. Maxwell also eerved notice
that the Laborites would resolutely op-
rose any further military occupation
Of Germany, remsrking, I'VE want to
gee Europe gotten on It's feet again
as quickly as possible. Oar foreign
policy is that each continental nation
must remember the most essential
thlnrs to get on WITH reconstruction
and forget mili,srism."
Asked II the Bonar Law government
hadn't rather spiked the guns OF the
| Labor party by comprehensive schemes
for building, eleetTifeation and other
enterprises to give jobs 10 those out OF
work, he replied;
aNot at all. We approve Of all that
The government has done. Our eontsn-
,on Is that Il hasn't done enough and,
furthermore, tha. It's schemes are 80
tied up In red tape and inefficient con-
troll thst IL can't give real relief IN
time" The labor leader went on TO
explain that he didn't believe all tho
unemployed could be absorbed Into the
enterprises backed BY the government,
but that the greater part OF the real
des,itution could be relieved In this
manner.
After left him I asked another
labor member Of Parliament about
the remark made By prominent Con-
servative politician. Macdonald IL be-
tween the horns Of dilemma. he is
instinctirely moderate, but ne was
elected by the Welsh extremists and
can't ride both horses at the same
time"
Labor Would Preserve Tradition
There's something in that" my
companion agreed, looking thoushfully
around at the empty Commons cham
ber which we we're crossing. But II
we strain all this" he waved his hand
10 indicate the austers Gothic lines
OF the building. ito the utmost well
get what we want. What fools wed
be 10 try 70 destroy itl'