Evening star., 1924-01-22
BALDWIN RESIGNS;
MACDONALD TAKES
NEW CABINET TASK
Premier Also Will Take
Charge of Foreign A.
fairs Portfolio.
By the Associated Press.

LONDON, January 22-Prine Min
lister Baldwin, shortly before noon
today, rendered the resignation of his
ministers 10 King George and advised
the sovereign to send for James Ram
say Macdonald.
The king accepted Mr.. Baldwin's ad-
vice and summoned Mr.. Macdonald,
the labor leader. for an audience at
noon.
Mr.. Macdonald's audience with the
king lasted an hour. The king in
vited him to form 4 government and
Mr.. Macdonald accepted.
Mr.. Ma cdonald, it was stated this
afternoon, will combine the foreign
office with the premiership
Mr.. Baldwin oG the reassembling
Of the house of commons announced
the governments resignation and the
kings acceptance. There were no la
Dor cheers as the retiring premier
made his statement. He moved the
adjournment of parliament until Feb
ruary Il, which date. he said, had
been chosen to meet Mr.. MacdonaId's
convenience.
The house agreed to the adjourn
Mr.. Baldwin.
mo Moment for Election
When commons adjourned overnight
after having voted no confidence in
Baldwin, by 328 to 256, il was not
clear on what day Mr. Macdonald
would take over" from the conserva-
tives. He has his cabinet appoint
ments ready, and II he chooses to
submit them Immediately for the
kings approval, he can assume the
mlnisterial responsibilities forthwith.
Lobby gossip last night credited him
with this intention, and this view was
supported by unofficial assertions that
Mr.. Macdonld did not desire to
shlrk responsibility for any govern
ment action that might be necessary
for dealing with the strike of the
locomotive men.
Mr.. Macdonald's attitude toward his
new duties, as he expressed himself
last night, was:
This is not a moment for eIs-;on
1t is d terrible responsibility. we
snail have to do our best to face il.
put, iail or succeed. I can say that no
government Will more honestly try to
am very, proud of the labor party.
ana 1t will be a great inspiration to
every worker Of the country to work
and TO sacrifice in order to do honor
ceed." " u
Today's meeting of commons was to
pc prief. the main business being the
IorInal announcement of the govern
h.s h reslgnation, after which the
weeks.
Premier Is Fifty-seven Years Old.
James Ramsay Macdonald is Sc
iected by King George to form a cab
met oy virtue of his position as head
OF the parliamentary labor party,
which, by its numerical strength in
the house of common has been his
majesty's official opposition.
The premier is ffty-seven ,-a,r,
ola ana self-educated. Although tba
leader or the laborites, he has never
nesn esia,,. IN, manual worker. having
academic knowledge of industr,ai af
fairs, gained through close studv
AS the son of Scotch peasant how
ever, he early in life learned the
pLl'atiohs OF the average laborer's
Macdonald seldom laughs. and rho
set Of his jaw bears out his charen.
terization as the gray-haired fight
err Ashl
He had an active part In +h. ~
ganizat!on of the independent Ia bor
party. in 1893, when but twentv-sawe,
years. Of age. and has since devoted
himself to the labor party's interestS
From the beginning he chamnioneG
the capital levy as the best means
of solving England's industrial proba
lens.
He has also been stanchly in favor
of International peace and puhiic1v
opposed England's entry into tbs
world war. When the nation Vas
once. in the fight. however, he made
the best Of the situation and served
as an ambulance driver in France.