The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-10-17
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
British Labor Government
Defeated Chang Like
w to Win in China.
BY EDWARD W. PlcKARD

BY EOWAHO w. FtONN'D
ID AMsAY MACDONALD and his La
N Dor cabinet went down to defeat
in the British house of commons Wed
nesday night and the. prime minister
decided to have parliament dissolved
and appeal to the country Immediately
in a general election. The crisis,
which had been expected, came not
over the Russian treaties but over the
governments recent decision to drop
the prosecution of John r. Campbell,
editor of a Communist paper, who was
charged with melting sedition. Mac
Donald and Colonial Minister Thomas
defended the action of Attorney Cen
eral Sir Patrick Hastings in that case
when 1t was attacked In the house.
The Conservatives moved vote of
eensure and the Liberals. who had
been supporting the Labor govern
ment. proposed an amendment calling
for an inquiry. The prime minister
declared the government could not ac-
cept the amendment. which he charac-
terized as "mean and crooked party
maneuver." However, 1t was carried
by the decisive vote of 364 to 198 the
combined strength of the Conserva-
tives and the Liberals. 81
The contention of the opposition is
that in the Campbell case the govern
ment brought the administration of
the law into contempt by allowing
party politics to govern The attorney
general told the commons that the
Campbell article in question had been
brought to his attention by the direc-
tor of public prosecutions. He decided
that 1t was prima facie seditious and
he directed prosecution Some time
later a member Of the Labor party
told him that he had got the wrong
man, Campbell having an excellent
army record, being seriously wounded
and decorated for bravery. He investi-
gated and decided that on the grounds
OF public policy the prosecution was
unwise and he dropped 1t. {
King George, fastened from Bali
moral castle, Scotland, to London be-
cause Of, the crisis and Mr.. Macdonald
saw him on Thursday. It was under
stood the king the big business lead;
ers and many political chiefs were op-
posed to an election now, but the king
yielded to MacDonald's demand.
zParliament was prorogued Thurs
day night, and October 30 was de-
cided upon as the day for the general
election, The Labor party really
hopes to obtain majority m the new
parliament and thinks this a good
time for the fight.
Once more the British Labor party
has refused to permit the Communist
party to affiliate with 1t. This action
was taken at the Labor national con-
ference In London, the vote being over
whelmingly against the Communists.
1t was declared the two parties have
nothing in common, Communism being
a product Of czarism and war betrayal,
in the words of Mr.. Macdonald.
n BvELoPMENTs of the week in
- the war in China. coupled with
private advices from Picking. lead to
the prediction that Chang Tso-lin, the
Manchurian chieftain, will ultimately
be victorious In his conflict with Gen.
WI Pei-fu and the government forces.
Last Wednesday Changes son led an
army In fierce attack on the ChIhll
troops that were intrenched on the
north side Of the great wall near
Shanhaikwan and. after a bloody bat
tie, he drove them through the main
gate of the wall at ChIumen and fol-
lowed them into the province of Chilli.
Meanwhile land. air and sea forces
were taking part In a big attack on
Shanwaikan. but the Picking report
said It was repulsed.
On the Shanghai front the Kiangsu
and Fukien forces which are operat-
Ing for the Picking government. gained
some important advantages over the
ChekIang troops defending the city,
the most notable being the capture Of
the town Of SunkIang, called the
southern gateway TO Shanghai.
General Chang is well supplied with
Aroops. equipment and money. He has