Evening star., 1923-11-11
POLICY
SNAG FOR BALDWIN
Premier Almost Certain to
Lose in Election Because
/ :, of Hesitating Stand.
BY A. G.. GARDINER.

By Cable to The Star.
LONDON, November 10-The whole
of England is agog with Prime Min
lister Baldwin's political sensation
Will he take an election before
Christmas or after Christmas, or will
be turn tail and run away? Nobody
knows. but the general impression
here is that he has now gone Zoo far
TO retreat.
But why did he spring the mine?
Why did he sacrifice his big majority
and. four years in office for this fool
fsh adventure? His own party is in
confusion on the subject. The hot
heads want protection at all costs
The. wiser heads are angry at the
idea of sacrificing Office and en-
barking on doubtful adventure at
the polls.
Bu.rne.. World Aa.r,.
The business world is sjngry at the
prospect of another election, which
threatens wholesale disiocation of
business in the, present: distressing
condition of trade.
If the election comes, What will be
where Chamberlain failed? His chief
asset is the grave condition Of un-
employment. When millipns of peo-
pie are out of work they are ready
to snatch at any promise of change.
The argument that things are SO bad
that they can't be any worse is diff
hcult to combat.
The weakness of Mr. Ba;dwin's case
is the half-heartedness of his pro-
posals. They disappoint the whole
a
farmers in the lurch. TIE more the
proposals are discussedi the more
vulnerable they become, 1t is ad-
mitted everywhere that MI. Baldwins
before his policy has been torn to
tattsrs- If he delays he is lost.
May Delay Election.
IN, some quarters it Isl anticipated
that Mr. Baldwin will funk the issue
and delay the election. In that case
he Is politically destroyed. Already
his prestige has sunk td zero His
care has revealed him as negligi-
BILE political figure, well ,intentioned,
but without force or capacity by COM
parfeon with Bonar Law, who was
buried this week in Westminster Abb
beysand was considerablezof states
man. though admittedly second rate.
If Mr.. Baldwin goes wko will sue
ceed, him as leader of the conserva-
tives? No first-rate figure is availa-
BILE except perhaps Lord e,urzon. who
is not popular. Proba bly, sord Birken-
head. who has just returned from
America. will make a bid. for leader
ship He is a brilliant ami audacious
adventurer. 1t is doubtful whether
the sultra- would touch
himnwith tongS.
Lloyd George Back.
Mrs Lloyd George is back on English
soil,s and has taken the. free-trade
sides preliminary to making peace
with the liberals That party is
enormously revived under the chal-
lenge of protection. and Hr. Asquith
has TecoveTed prestige ins a most re-
markable way. For the FIRST time in
six years the newspapers report his
free~trade speech verbatii.n. Winston
Churchill also has come cut for free
trade, thus disposing of tie view that
he vas Teverting to the conservative
party
A1riid all this domestic cdnfusion the
great problem of Europe temains un-
soltHd. Germany goes from ruin to
RUM and Premier Pointare stands
immpvable. Everywhere feeling
against him as the enemy 3f European
peace is rising. and Indignation is
widely expressed. Baldwin, instead of
conFonting him pointolank. has
thrown bone of dissenSon into the
country TO divert attentibn.
A powerful deputation waited on
Mr. Baldwin Thursday afternoon and
urged him to take decisive action
All the newspapers excepr the Rother-
mere Press now denoursce Poincare
with growing fierceness. land the in
famous proceedings in the Ruhr and
Rhineland are being widely reported
fer the first time. Hitherto the press
has kept silent to avoid giving Of
s.nse to France, but now: the shame
full facts are notorious.s and public
opinion is profoundly myved. Funds
are ebeing raised to relieve the ap-
palling conditions prevalent in Ger
many.
Either Poincare will yield or Eng
land will be driven into. association
with Germany.
Copyright, 1923.