The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-09
THE BRITISH ELECTIONS


 Britain have apparently not solved the spolitical situation over there. The Conservatives failed to get majority, and Premier Baldwin's resignation IS expected at any time. The only pos sible way of arriving at a majority would be through coalition. The Con- ! 4zservatives lost heavily, and the Lib serals and Laborites gained. The chief issue was tariff or free trade, and the vote was against the tariff. Since MT. Baldwin supported the tariff prin- ,, ciple the vote is regarded as a direct repudiation of the premier.
 Some observers believe that the elections were so indecisive as to call for another election date in the very near future. The Liberals and Labor ties control majority of votes in the Commons. A coalition between these two parties would probably mean the choice of either Lloyd George or the Laborite leader, Ramsay Macdonald, as premier. Of course, Lloyd George is a strong contender for the office, because there is less cohesion among the Laborftes than among the Liberals. Labor, being new party, has not de- yeloped it's policy so definitely nor aligned it's membership so permanently as the Liberal. Much depends upon whom the king calls upon to form the new cabinet, though that is circular reasoning, for the king calls upon one whom he regards as most likely to compose the situation, and is influ- enced in his choice by those who ap- proach him behind the scenes.
 Besides the tariff, there was another issue. one advanced by the Laborftes. It is a proposition to make tax levy upon private capital. Just as the tariff was rejected because the people were convinced that it meant a higher tax rate. so the capital levy is approved because in some manner the people believe that thus they will be in better circumstance. The root of the whole trouble. of course, is the dissatisfac- tion that springs from unemployment and the dole system. By the dole sys- tenn those who are out of work receive a government stipend for their living expenses. Such a dole is highly uu- economic, of course, and tends to re- move the incentive to work. But the British government was confronted Al. 1o1 yI hod tn do O. thing, for there were not enough jobs to go round.
 The people have not generally com prehended how suicidal it is to levy directly upon the capital that should be invested in the industries which would create jobs. It would perhaps have been sounder suggestion to draft capital for the conduct of in- dustries, for then capital would not have been expended in the running costs of government, but would have been applied to developing additional sources whence public revenues may be derived. Any such plan, however, would in the long run lead to disaster, and England has had enough of that.
 While Lady Astor, Conservative, was reelected, largely, no doubt, be- cause of her courageous fight, it is a singular fact that Winston Churchill was defeated by a Laborite, one who advocated the capital tax levy. Eng lands politics is in confused state. Anything may happen. But the clear sighted Lloyd George is probably not confused, and he may be the first one to see a way out of the muddle-pro- vided, of course, he is permitted to lead the way.