Evening star., 1924-01-30
Macdonald Walks Tight Rope,
In View of American Editor.

BY the accession to power of the
British labor party, with ]. Ramsay
Macdonald at the helm, the change of
government is more apparent than
lreal in the view OF the American
press. That with the conservatives
dropping out of the picture, tempo
! rarily at. least, British government
will settle down to game OF
strategy between the Macdonald la
accepted as a matter Of course.
The new cabinet will remain in
power by sufferance only most edi-
tors agree and will fall whenever it
! proposes any of the extreme policies
| for which it stands. Therefore the ac-
tcession of the new party is not a
cause for alarm or even much con-
cern and the chief interest that Will
be taken in II will be an interest ac-
tuated almost solely by curiosity.
In the opinion of the Lynchburg
News the issue cannot long be post
poned between the labor party and
those who regard the principles of
| that party as dangerously unsound
from economic standpoint, and cal
| culated to produce untold injury TO
| organized society" but il is Just as
tweH so that once for all, the people
; of Great Britain may known what to
expect in their political life" There
may also be some question as to
whether it will be permitted to sue
ceed," according to the Springfield
Republican. because IF labor gov
ernment should in spite of everything
show signs of getting on there might
| be temptation to turn it out and
give another government a. chance -
Because, as the Boston TRANSCRIPT
| points out. Mr.. Macdonald owes his
opportunity to the error of Mr. Bald
win and TO the. cFassly partisan will
| ingness of the liberal leaders to take
advantage of any. political stick that
comes along to whip the tory dog
~ i x
With labor in office the Newark
News observes "the liberals will. as
matter of fact, be in power, for
no measure can go forward with
out their support" Hence Mac
donald may introduce no radical
measures, nor deviate sharply from
the policies that enlist liberal
sympathies,' the Buffalo News de-
clares, for as soon as he does his
ministry is doomed to defeat" 1t
would cause no surprise, therefore,
the Cincinnati Enquirer suggests, 'if
In the end the liberals We're the ones
to pull the props from under the labor
government which they have helped
to raise to temporary power"
AS the Roanoke World News sees
1t the Macdonald cabinets chance of
succeeding is no better than that of
thes man who tries to serve two
masters" and sooner or later, and
the indications are that 1t will be
sooner, the Macdonald cabinet will
come to grief on the rocks of dis
satisfaction within the ranks of its
party or the reef exposed by the sub
siding of liberal support" The
Duluth Herald holds the same views,
declaring Macdonald's position is not
to be envied," while the Toronto Star
of the political situation requires that
the new government be tolerated.
Though agreeing that the rise of
the labor party may be only tenn
porary, and due to the existing un-
rest which has resulted from de-
pressed Industrial conditions, the
Portland Express claims ''on the
other hand it may betoken a chanse
in, the conduct of world afars, the
end of which no man can toresee;
In this connection the New YORK
Times insists 1.-The example of Rus,
sia is a virtual guarantee against any
tendency on the part or reSponslpie
labor and socialist leadership IN
western Europe to run amuck' any
way "a labor government is to nave
its day. and it's course Will be fol-
lowed with eager interest by students
Of politics everywhere"
The Baltimore Sun, furthermore
maintains "the composition of Mr..
Macdonald's cabinet promises a labor
administration az both skillful and eau
tious whether it's tenure of office be
long or short" But If the premiers
announced policy of waving ma.
fionaiizatio and the capital levy"
be pursued. the Brooklyn Eagle be-
Iieves lit may be long time before
anv marty or faction In parliament
will push hard for another genera
election"
This is also the opinion or tee
Cleveland Plain Dealer, which says
s.if the labor government should suc-