Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-26
BALDWIN CABINET
LAPSE INDICATED
Government Waning as Par
lament Takes Recess; Bust
ness Prospering, Is Claim.
by A. G. GARDINER.


LONDON, December &C.. - Parlia
ment has gone on its Christmas re-
cess and the leaders have scattered
far and wide. David Lloyd George
is making a tour OF Rio. Ramsay
Macdonald is going to the Highlands.
The others are going to Switzerland
or the Riviera.
Apart from the sensational defeat
OF the new prayer book, the Autumn
ession has been unimportant and
has failed to check the waning popu-
larity of the Baldwin government. The
chief ground OF dissatisfaction is the
growing feeling OF concern ut the
failure to reduce national expendi.
ties and to stimulate trade.
Apart from the fact that the No
vember trade figures showed an in
crease in the export OF manufactured
goods, the outlook for industry con.
tinues most disquieting. A singular
fact in the situation Is the striking
contrast between the position in the
metropolis and southern England and
that in the industrial north.
Country Never More Prosperous.
Judged by London, the country
never was more prosperous. The di.
mansions of the Christmas trade are
unprecedented. One newspaper esti.
mated that the turnover Of 20 large
wholesale businesses in the West End
during the Christmas season Vas
$500 100000. This probably is exces-
sive. but all the evidence goes to show
that the magnitude of business creates
a new record. This. of course. repre-.
sents luxury expenditures. to which
the increasing vogue of London as
buying center for the continent con.
tributes.
In south England generally, too.
there has been considerable develop
ment OF prosperity, owing to new in
dustries like motors. artificial silk,
chemicals. electrical manufactures.
etc. which, instead Of being concen.
trated in the industrial north. are
tending to be distributed over the
rural south. oxford. for example,
under the influence OF Morris, the Eng.
lish Ford. Is becoming transformed
from medieval city. sacred TO learn.
ing, to vast hive of modern industry.
and great concern prevails at the
perils to the amenities and beauties Of
this Incompatible city.
Meanwhile, the Industrial north,
where staple industries which have
ben the backbone OF British prosper.
ity for century are congregated, re.
mains stagnant and depressed with
vast masses of unemployed and under.
employed. Iron, steel. engineering,
mining, shipbuilding. cotton, are in.
volved in this prolonged postwar
catastrophe which the great miners
strike last year severely aggravated.
Many Miners Unemployed.
To-
miners are still unemployed and will
never find work again In the pits.
Areas like Durham and South Wales
are permanently poverty stricken and
impoverished
This stagnation in the vital indus
tries OF the country creates deepening
anxiety in the ranks Of both capital
and labor. 4 marked change Is com.
Ing over the spirit of trade unionism.
which is much less irreconciiable than
has been the case hitherto. A most
striking evidence Of this was furnished
this week. Sir Alfred Mond and Sir
Josiah Stamp. two of the most power
full and enlightened organizers of In,
dustry In the country. have formulat.
ed scheme for a new industrial com.
pact between the employers and the
employed for the reorganization of In.
dustry on modern lines. and in n spirit
OF cooperation between labor and CAPT.
tai.
Conference Is Proposed.
They approached the Trades Union
Council with n request that representa-.
tives OF labor be asked TO Join them In
conference to work out details OF the
scheme. The council agreed and this
week appointed IA group of the fore
most labor leaders to meet the EN-.
pioyers and negotiate the lines of a
policy for future industrial develop.
ments.
Much Significance attaches TO the
fact that the council htas chosen mod.
crate statesmen rather than 'fire.eat.
ers." Mond and Stamp have with them
all the best brains In the big indus |
tries OF the countries, and acceptance
OF their proposal by organized labor
has created universal va tisfaction and
high expectations.
The first meeting of the conference
takes place the first week In January.
tCopyrisht. 1917