The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-09
BALDWIN PLAYED FR0M ALL SIDES
British Premier Will Be A Brave Man If He Con-
 tinueS At Helm

LONDON, Dec. S.-One of the most remarkable weeks in the whole his tory of British politics closes with the burning question on every bodys lips whether Stanley Baldwin will resign.
 The premier will be a brave man if he stands to the helm. for seldom has such a storm broken around the head of any leader. The bitterest attacks come from the newspapers and mem bers of his own party But for his own decision to appeal to the elector- ate on the protection question, they say the conservatives might have re- mained in power for some years, pur- suing the policy of tranquility which the country welcomed so warmly when the late Andrew Bonar Law an- nounced it, hardy more than a year ago.
 Of all of Baldwin's onetime sup porters, the Morning Post is almost alone in reiterating it's confidence in him and arguing that the party must not drop protection. The premier is country place, Chequers Court, which Lord Lee gave the nation as resi- dence for premiers, and there he will confer with the party leaders.
 Gives No Hint Of Plans.
 No word has yet been given to the public regarding MT. Baldwin's plans, If he has yet decided upon them, but many are predicting that this will be his last sojourn at Chequers.
 The famous cartoonist, Bernard Partridge, presented prophetic scene in Punch, on the eve of the elections. MT. Baldwin was pictured as introducing former Premier As- quith. liberal leader, to Chequers.
 This place is haunted" Baldwin was saying with wave of his hand to the background, where sat com fortably in a big arm chair, the dim ghostly figure of David Lloyd George.
 The suggestion is often heard that the eventual solution of the present unsettlement will be the reinstate- ment of Lloyd George in the direction of the nations destinies, but that is only one of the many solutions dis cussed.
 People Want No Election.
 One fact stands forth clearly. It is that none of the people want another general election with its cost, tur- moil and disturbance of business, so long as any arrangements of gov ernment can be devised to postpone 1t.
 The name of Lord Derby Is com ing to the front as possible concerva- tive leader in succession to MT. Bald- win. Although the head of an ancient noble family and great employer of labor. Derby is a popular man with all classes. He has a genial man. ner passes as a typical, bluff plain spoken Englishman, and in politics is attributed with the methods of a peace maker.
 He has often played this part in party crisises and he was ambassador to France when Britain's relations with the French were at one of the most delicate stages since the war.
 Lord Derby has one handicap as a candidate for the premiership in the fact that he is a member of the House of Lords. There has been no peer in the office of prime minister since Lord Rosenberry, as parlia- ment has tended to become more democratic and the feeling has strengthened that the premier should be a member of the commons where he can meet the direct representa- tives of the people In the rough and tumble of debate instead of deliver ing speeches in the house of lords, which would be more in the nature of formal announcements to the na- tion.