Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-12
MACDONALD DEBUT
ST|RS OPPOS|T|0N
Tories, in Fighting Mood,
Heckle Labor Ministry in
First House Session.
BY the Associated Press.

! By the Associated Press.
LONDON, February 12-The new
! labor ministry had its initial expert
! ence in being grilled by the opposi-
! ton today when the Macdonald cabi-
net made its first appearance in the
| House of Commons.
The chamber was crowded. The
opposition benches were filled, eX-
premier Baldwin occupying the
leaders seat.
The tories were clearly in a fight
ing mood and opened rostilities by
loud shouts of speak up" when Ben
Spoor, chief government whip, made
a motion in low tone. This was re-
peated with other ministers and is a
departure from the forebearance
usually given new cabinet.
Feeling ran high during the question
period and controversial questions
were hurled at the government from
many quarters.
The government bench continued
to furnish weak voices as the session
progressed. Before the question pc
riod had progressed very far the min
listers had to fall back on the old
formula, II must ask for notice of
that question" which evoked ironical
Enters in Silence.
Premier Macdonald entered the
house without demonstration,
though the laborites cheered when he
arose to answer a question regarding
the recognition of Russia. His an
swer, however, added nothing to what
is already known. There was loud
laughter from the opposition when
Commander Joseph Kenworthy asked
the premier whether the govern
ments condolences on the death of
Lenin have been conveyed to the So
Wet. Mr.. Macdonald did not reply.
Macdonald. answering a question
in occupied German territory, said he
trusted the negotiations between
Great Britain and France and Bel
GUM, which had been progressing
ever since the new labor government
factorily concluded. He added that
he preferred to postpone detailed
statement in order not to hamper the
negotiations.
Minister Wheatley's order by which
the guardians of the Poplar district
of London had been given a sort of
free hand in the distribution of re-
lief to the unemployed. This, he de-
clared, was an insignificant mechani-
cal operation. 1t was not an indica-
ton that the labor government was
going to encourage uneconomic ex-
travagance by any of the expanding
departments.
Pleads for Steadiness.
The new labor prime minister, ris.
ing at Ais o'clock this afternoon for
his first speech as head Of the gov
eminent, called attention to the fact
that no party had a majority. The
new conditions, he said, would neces-
state alteration in the habits of the
members, as individually they would
have to vote more and more on their
personal responsibility and not mere
ly as party politicians.
The labor government, Mr.. Macdon-
aid declared, was not going out of Of
flee as the result of any snap diyi-
sion. 1t would only go out if it were
defeated on a substantial issue.
1t was expected the premier's speech
would consume about an hour and a
half.
Mr.. Macdonald thanked the "calm
and sane-minded business men" who
had warned investors not to make
fools of themselves because of the
advent of labor government. He
appealed to the country to keen
steady.