New Britain herald., 1924-10-31
WHY LABOR PARTY
 WAS DEFEATED,

Stanley Baldwin, former premier
 Of Great Britain, will return to DOW
 CT as the result of the Conservative
 victory in the British elections. The
 Labor party, which all along has
 been a minority party but obtained
 control of the government because it
 had the balance of power between
 the tory Conservatives and the Liber-
 sls, goes out of power. but has more
 seats in parliament than the Liberal
 party, which suffered a serious set
 back in popular esteem.
 The government of Ramsey Mac
 Donald, viewed from this side of the
 Atlantic, had some achievements to
 it's credit in international affairs, in-
 cluding recrudescence of the ami
 ty with France, but the premiers
 method of handling Russian affairs,
 and dissatisfaction over the handling
 Of internal matters doubtless caused
 widespread classification with the Labor government. However, the Labortte will remain a power in par
 llament, where the chief defeat is registered against the Liberals, of which H. H. Asquith, former pre- mier was leader. It is evident from this that many Liberals joined with the Conservatives in the defeat of the Labor party,
 Baldwin's former record as pre- mier doesn't presage outstanding achievements for the future. It was during his premiership that condi- tions on the continent were permit ted to become exceedingly grave. eliminating in the Ruhr invasion and its consequent political and in- dustrial uphcavals. Baldwin prac- ticaIly regarded these continental ezcrcsences as none of his business. or at least made no worthy effort to lend the, influeHce of Great Britain to slave off the impending difficult ties. The Macdonald government, it must be admitted in a spirit of fair ness, took a reverse course and dur ing it's tenure of office the present 1 order was brought out of chaos.
 But the Macdonald government : badly in negotiating the An glo- Russian treaty, which called for a guaranteed state loan to Russia of . about $15O,OOO,O0O. The British are constitutionalIy opposed to any state . guaranteeing loan, even to a power, and at all events not unless the most stringent financial supervision were provided, as was the case in the loan made to Austria under tho supervision of the League of Nations. A guaranteed state loan to Russia went decidedly too far in view of the expressed possibility that Russia might at any time, if it chose. repudiatc it's debts, Both the Liberal and the Conserva- i've parties decided they would not agree to such a thing and preferred to face a. general election on the is sue. Lloyd George was up in arms over the matter and was vitriolic in that the Labor government should be expelled from office on his issue.
 The faux pas of the Labor govern nent in connection with the Russian oan has been of comparatively re- ,cnt date. Only three months ago he Labor government did not in- end to make a guaranteed loan to sussia, Macdonald himself saying hat that was not his intention. But some of the extremists among his party insisted this be done, and Mac Donald finally consented, which speedily precipitated a general cleo ion.
 Macdonald could have avoided the general election by submitting to committee of inquiry, to which he vas asked to submit. Such a request 1ad never been regarded in Britain IS a reason for the resignation of he government. The Tories with roscph Chamberlain at their head submitted to one over the Jameson aid and the Asquith government of 906-10 submitted to one over the Iarconi wireless financing. Mac Donald, however, preferred 10 force he issue. evidently believing a show f strength at the polls would be alled for shortly afterwards any low.
 The immediate reason for the fall { tho Macdonald ministry, how , yer, wasn't attributed to the Rus Ian loan, but 10 minor case which rseipItated the other Asd more