Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-05-29
BILLION BID FOR j. s.
ME RELIANT MARINE
new BRITISH GOVERNMENT
UNDER way; new PREMIER SAYS
NO RADICAL CHANGES POLICY

London. May % (By A. P)-The
new government. completed by the
appointment of Sir I.aming Worth
ington Evans as postmaster general
with seat IN the cabinet. started
its active career today in unevent-
full fashion.
Stanley Baldwin. the new prime
minister, was elected leader of the
Conservative party in place of. the
retiring premier, Andrew Bonar Law,
at party meeting which was note
worthy only for the absence Of Lord
Birkenhead and Austen Chamber
ly aggrieved at being ignorant in the
formation Of the government.
The new premier and his minis
ters met parliament without cere-
mOny. Mr. Baldwin made no direct
declaration of policy, except for the
very general statement that he
would continue along the lines laid
down by Mr.. Bonar Law and by
Conservative tradition.
The House of Commons plunged
forth into the debate of the
second reading of the indemnity bill
to protect Home Secretary Bridge
man from the penalties threatening
him as a result of the appeal courts
decision in the case of the Irish de-
pOrtees. The government desires to
secure the adoption of all stages of
the bill in two days. and an all night
sitting is not improbable.
The 0nnOSifiOn n1rtieS are nlltfinE
up a bitter fight against the measure,
and j. Ramsay Macdonald, the La
Dor leader. opened the attack with a
slashing speech in which he moved
the rejection of the bill. Premier
Baldwin had attempted to mOllify
the House by announcing that the
government had decided to receive
claims from the deportees for their
losses in consequence of arrest and
deportation, and to appoint a COM
mittee of investigation.
This, however, failed to ward off
the severity of the attack and Sec
rotary Bridgeman himself aggravat-
ed the case by delivering speech
attempting justification of his ac-
ton, in which he provoked the in
tense anger of the Laborites by re-
peating the charges Of conspiracy
against the deportees and then
leaving the House to debate the bill
in his absence.
Thus the government at the
threshold of it's career meets the
worst situation that it is likely to
encounter during the present ses-
sion Of parliament.
Former Premier Lloyd George,
while expressing sympathy for Mr..
Bridgeman who. he said, had acted
illegally under bad advice. declared
Premier Baldwin's offer to -compen-
safe the deportees "for their travel
ing expenses" was quit inadequate.
The government, he contended,
should frankly assume liability for
the illegality of its action and "pay
like gentlemen"
He said he could not support the
bill in it's present form. and sug-
gested that, instead Of depriving the
deportees of their legal rights. the
government should insert a clause
in the bill enabling the deportees to
make their claims and creating a
judicial tribunal to decide the Ques-
ton of fair compensation.
Lord Robert Cecil, making his
first speech as member Of the new
government, expressed his readiness
to give the most absolute assurance
that there was no intention to use
the bill as a ground for repeating
the deportations. The government
desired to secure for the deportees
such compensation as they would be
entitled to recover in ordinary courts
and was prepared to insert a clause
making that quite clear. He also
agreed that damages should be re-
covered before legal tribunal.
This concession was accepted by
G. A. McCurdy. National Liberal. in
behalf of the Lloyd Georgeites, and
the bill passed it's second reading
% to 143. The figures were greeted
with hearty ministerial cheers, being
a much larger majority than the
governments normal strength, owing
to the Lloyd George group voting
with the government.