The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-06
BALDWIN WINS
SUCCESS AS
PREMIER
Proves Surprise of Parliament.
DiscIoses Value of Big
Business Training.

LONDON, Aug. 6.-The House OF
Commons, just rising for its long
recess, regards Premier Stanley
Baldwin as the outstanding success
of the session.
Twelve months ago the very idea
Of Mr.. Baldwin being Prime Minister
of England would have been derided.
Today he holds the high office in
O position of strength that seldom
has been paralelled.
When he took office, the fortunes
of the Bonar Law government were
at their lowest. They had suf-
fered a number of electoral defeats,
they looked like being faced with a
big deficit, and the entire country
seemed against him in regard to
their policies on rent control and
housing.
The first effect of Baldwin's &C.
cessian was that strong, vigorous
man took the place of a semi.
invalid, who was out of touch with
his party. Day and night he re-
manned at his post at the House of
Commons, in touch with every
shade of opinion, and daily making
his strong personality more keenly
felt.
His good humor, tact, dire d.
rectness and aightfOrwardness
quickly gained him the confidence
of all sections of Parliament when
1t came down to real business, half
the strength of the opposition had
been taken away.
Budget Brings Surplus.
His budget, instead of the ex-
pected deficit, displayed consid-
cradle surplus which he devoted
mainly to lowering taxation in the
directions where it was worst felt.
Without any attempt at popularity,
he considerably lightened the bur-
den of the poor. Coming on top
Of his debt funding success in the
United States this course won him
considerable praise even from his
chief opponents, the Labor party.
Bonar Laws government had
looked like falling, to pieces over
the question Of rent de-control and
housing. Baldwin attacked the sub
ject courageously and wisely, after
the fashion of one who knows ex-
actly the mind and needs of the
man in the street. He gave up all
idea of immediate de-control of
rents while the housing shortage
remained. He knew that if unlim-
tied competition in rents were al
lowed while there were still insult
ficient houses to supply the needs
of the people, only discomfort and
confusion could arise.
Accordingly he had bill passed
delaying de-control of rents for a
minimum period of two years, and
at the same time he had powers
given to the ministry of health
whereby that department was not
only given unlimited facilities for
building houses, hut was also given
power to subsidize the private
builder.
Business Gaining Ground.
At the end of two years Baldwin
hopes that the housing shortage
will be q thing Of the past. His
bill passed the House of Commons
with the good wishes of all parties.
So in the negotiations with
France over the RUhr, Baldwin has
acted with practically the unquali-
fled backing of the House of Cora
mons and the nations. He walks
very cautiously, very warily. No
man succeeds either in hustling or
rafting him. But, keen man of
business that he is. he sees exactly
the end in sight, and he insists on
his share of a bargain.
Throughout Britain people are
now saying that being the head of
q great business is, after all, not
such a bad training for the pre-
miership