Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-22
BALDWIN WELL Up
ON i. s. PROBLEMS
Debt-Funding Mission Is
Brought Into Intimate Con-
tact With Leaders Here.
by FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

4 Elevation of Stanley Baldwin TO the
British premiership will bring to No.
10 Downing street a statesman un-
commonly well fitted to deal with
American problems. Ambassador Har-
vey to whom this writer communicated
the news of Baldwin's appointment, has
no hesitation in pronouncing it as I'M
doubtedly the best that could have been
made. 1t is Col. Harvey's opinion that
the appointment is the direct result of
the new premier's successful debt nego-
tiations at Washington last winter.
Baldwin is the Briton who has had the
most recent, and in many respects, the
most intimate contact with American
statesmen that any British official has
enjoyed in Iater-d day times. The con-
sentative leader to whom King George
has offered the premiership of the en-
pire headed the British debt-funding
commission which began its operations
at Washington on January s. of this
year. For several weeks Baldwin va
in daily association with SecrskG
Hughes, Mellon and HOOK Ia
Senator Smoot, Represenfa1 DSIr-
ton, and other importanf nment
and congressional lea Tie was
also in occa Siona <enceS with
President HardinS.8
Upon all of thSE4fnericans he met
at Washington Mr.. Baldwin made the
impression of an uncommonly frank,
straightforward man of affairs. He
outlined unequivocally what Britain
could do, what she was prepared to
do, and what, eventually, she did do.
Urges Cordial Agreement.
He ended convincing opening ad-
dress to the debt commission in these
terms:
1.-THE cordial and prompt agreement
of the two greatest democracies in
the world on a question of this in
tricacy and magnitude will be an
example to the ma ms and a long
step forward in effecting solution
of the economic troubles of Europe.
Let US never forget that until these
troubles are solved there can be no
general revival of international trade.
1 look forward to our meetings with
hope and confidence. l believe that l
shall not be disappointed"
Stanley Baldwin's rise to the pre-
miership is one of the most meteoric
careers in British history. Six years
ago hardly a man in the street had
ever heard his name. He was sue
cessful figure in the steel and iron
trade, a member of parliament for a
Worcestershire division, a Cambridge
University man, and a stalwart con-
sentative, but had made no impress
sion upon public life. Lloyd George
discovered him as a coalition ministry
possibility in the midst of the war,
and in 1917 made him financial secre-
tary to the treasury. There he
promptly demonstrated unusual tai
ents. 1t was mainly due to Baldwin
that Britons were induced voluntarily
to turn over to the hard pressed
treasury at a time when British cred
it abroad was at a low ebb all of
their foreign securities. in order that
credit operations might be strength
ened overseas.
Wants Party Rule.
Although brought into cabinet
place by Lloyd George, 1t was Bald
win who was destined to be the
main influence in overthrowing "the
little Welshman" in October. 1922.
He engineered the conservative drive
at the celebrated Carlton Club con-
clave and paved the way for q die
hard" conservative government un-
der Bonar Laws leadership. Baldwin
is an irreconcilable conservative
what we in America would cell an
cid guard stand-patter. He is as
firm a believer in incorporating
rarity government as President Hard
ing is. When he thought coalition
government had served the country'c