The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-16
MACDONALD OUTLINES POLICY

Premier Ramsay MacDonald's first message to the House of Commons, the cable report of which The Age-Herald, among Southern journals, had the distinc- ton of carrying in full, is docu- ment of importance, not alone be- cause of the subjects with which it deals, but chiefly because it is the first utter ance of the Labor party from position of national authority. If anyone looked 1 for any radical or socialistic tendency, | or even a hostility to capital and estab- | lished institutions, he looked in vain. The premier's program is constructive, his view liberal and his purpose high. No real statesman could be gifted other wise, no matter what his policy. The speech was really test of whether Mac Donald is statesman. He seems to have answered that in a manner creditable to himself and to Great Britain.
 To be sure, the new government is in for a fight, many fights. It represents a minority party. There is no maj ajority party now in Great Britain, and no coali- tion. Mr. Macdonald says that the La bor party will enter no coalition; but that, on the other hand, it will present it's measures to parliament for considera- ton on their merits. If they can be approved on their merits, they are ex- pected to receive majority approval. If they cannot be approved on their merits, then they deserve to go down to defeat, even though they be cherished doctrines of the Labor party. This is high ground. It may seem at first to be politically reckless position, but in reality it repre- sents an eminence on which all high minded men will prefer to take their stand, rather than on lower level. h. stead of being defensive position, it is an invitation to highminded men. It re- mains to be seen how we'll the new gov ernment will be able to apply its prin- ciple in practical affairs.
 Recognition of Russia is explained not as approval of the soviet, but as nee essary first step in job which, accord ing to the new premier, somebody will have to take up, and there is no use of waiting. Recognition of Russia is not to be taken by itself but as merely a part in the wider program of composing the internal and diplomatic difficulties of all European nations. It is a Labor program, adopted in behalf of labor, not because there is sympathetic alliance be- tween the labor of Great Britain and the labor of other nations, but purely because the unemployment in England makes it ? imperative that foreign markets be opened up to British products, so that British labor may go to work. In order that this may be done, the political and economic troubles of all the nations must be composed. In this view of the sub- ject, undoubtedly British capital is as heartily in favor of it's success as labor could possibly be.
 As to Americas relation to Europe's situation, the British premier shows a measure of tactful understanding ex- ceeding that of some of his able prede- cessors. He says in regard to the League of Nations that "so far as America is concerned it would i'll become me or this house to give it any advice" But he believes that, once the United States is convinced that European diplomacy is concerned only with constructive and honorable motives she will voluntarily enter the league, especially if the appeal to force is renounced and the appeal to justice and reason substituted as the compelling influence of the league. The relations with France are friendly and will become more so, according to MT. Macdonald, who perceives that the first step is proper and reliable assur- ance to the French government that, no matter how widely they may differ as to policy, there can be no enmity and no break between the two nations. This is a liberal view that should not have waited for the Labor leader to give it first utter ance. With Labor's program for the internal government of Great Britain, the world has nothing to do, but it is not possible to find in the premier's out line of view any reason to believe that Britain is on the verge of any sort of violent upheaval, but rather that the same economic laws will be observed which study and experience have shown to underlie wise government, no matter what it's complexion. If the British are not disturbed, there is no reason why anybody else should be.
 SOUND AT THE CORE
 While the attention of congress is sol