Evening star., 1924-05-18
BRITAIN'S TROUBLES
! FADING WITH SPRING
Trade Picking Up, Strike Threat
| Ended, Nation Filled With
Good 0mens.
DEFEAT OF POINCARE HELPS
Considered Sure to Improve Con-
tinental Relations
BY A. G. GARDINER.

BY A. G. GARDINER.
By Radio TO The Star.
LONDON, May 17.--This week has
been the most cheerful one of the
year in England. Spring and sum-
mer have arrived together after
prolonged and inclement winter, and
London is looking its brightest and
best.
Events of the week have been as
cheerful as the weather. The sensa-
tional result of the French elections
has given universal satisfaction. 1t
was wholly unexpected. Premier
Poincare's return was regarded as so
inevitable that Mr.. Macdonald had in
vited him TO visit London after the
election.
Evidence goes to show that Poin-
cares fall was due TO failure of the
Ruhr policy to produce results, the
increased cost of living and discon-
tent at the number of men kept with
The colors. The fluctuations of the
franc also had an influence. the recent
exaggerated rise after the collapse
having hit the consumer hard.
The unexpected character Of the
result has been startling evidence
here of the unreliability of the Paris
press as Il mirror of real French
opinion.
Favorable to Dawes Plan.
Political circles in London regard
the fall of Poincare as most favor
able to the prospects for the Dawes
scheme. 1t now is known that the
German NaitonaliSts will accept the
scheme and confidence prevails that
the new French government will eX-
hibit d more reasonable attitude than
could be hoped from NJ. Poincare.
Both Herriot and BRAND are en-
lightened Europeans. as well as good
Frenohmen and much more disposed
TO work in sympathy with British
ideas than their predecessor. Their
majority. however, is narrow, and
though Poincare will be out of office,
mis- stubborn influence will still be
formidable.
But the sky of Europe is sub
stantially clea rer.
The social event of the week was
the visit of the King and Queen of
Rumania, who fulfilled a busy pro-
gram at court functions and city re-
reptions. London had almost for
gotten royal gayeties of this sort.
The war played such havoc with Eu-
ropean royalties that this aspect of
London life can never be restored.
The great nations of Europe now are
when mighty monarchs of the mighty
kingdoms of Russia, Austria and Ger
many came like gods among the
pIortals.
The king business on the continent
now is trivial affair confined to a
fringe of smaller countries and COM
manding little of their former attention
from the populace. Whatever the other
results of the war may be, it has prac-
ucally left monarchiSm an obsolete relic.
Its position in England alone preserves
its old prestige owing to the conStitu-
tional character Of the monarchy and
the popularity and amiability of the
house
Strike Threat Ended.
In another respect the week has been
of good omen. The shadow of the great
coal strike has vanished. The govern
ment had appointed a commission to
report on the position of the mining in
dustry. The report declared the re-
muneration of the miners was inade-
duate in view Of the profits of the trade,
reached which improves the miners
position and removes the threat of a
strike.
The effect of the agreement will be
TO close many of the poorer mines, but
the settlement is only temporary. The
present basis of the English mining in
dustry is impossible, and opinion gains
ground in favor of statutory control or
the coal trade and administration of 1t
on a national basis, by which richer
seams can be opened up and poorer
seams painleSSly eXtinguiShed.
The general industry of the country
is greatly prejudiced by the high cost
of coal, due to the present uneconomic
working of tho mines, which leaves the
poorest mines to dictate the market
price
Trade Growing Better.
Generally, however, trade is show
ing substantial Improvement and
Sidney Webb, minister of the board
Of the year unemployment will be
reduced to normal pre-war dimen-
Sions.
This more satisfactory condition of
things is creating favorable opinion
In regard to the Labor government,
and if the Dawes scheme goes
through and European affairs i'm
prove, MIR. MacDonald's star will be
in the ascendant and his continuance
IN Office assured with the effective
support of the Liberals
There is no tendency on the part
of the government to adopt Socialist
experiments and for all practical pur-
poses Liberal policy is being carried
out by Labor. The Liberals are great
ly gratified by the firm stand taken
by Philip Snowden, chancellor of the
exchequer, on abolition of protec-
Zionist duties on motor cars. The
Conservatives made a tremendous at
tack on it on the ground that
Snowden was deliberately increasing
unemployment, but the chancellor
made an overwhelming defense and
scored d great personal triumph
Copyright, 1924