Evening star., 1928-01-01
BRITISH FAIRLY CRYING
FOR POLITICAL LEADERS
Differences Increase So Fast That Party
Lines No Longer Are Being
Put First.

and those who stand still because the
only possible motion Is in his COM
pany.
Nobody wants Baldwin again, no
body wants Macdonald again, but
most people would rather have either
Macdonald or Baldwin than Lloyd
George. IL the Tories go into the op-
position. it will be hard to prevent
Winston Churchill from leading them
in the House Of Commons, because
he is the best fighter they have.
Cry for Leadership.
At bottom, the trouble in Great
Britain is economic and financial.
The mass of the British people are
fairly crying for leadership. The
difficulties have grown TO the point
where party lines are very far from
coming first.
But how can the difficulties be met
when one party wants TO solve them
by backing capital in reducing wages
and another to get over them by some
form of capital levy plus a reduction
in Britain a supreme illustration OF
the extent of the disaster incident 10
permitting political parties TO be based
upon class lines. Each party which
represents a class desires 10 remedy
existing evils at the expense OF the
other class.
For four years. the Tory govern
ment has been engaged in the effort
to restore British prosperity at the
expense Of the workingman. II labor
got free hand at the next election.
it would undertake to achieve the
same end by making capital carry
the burden.
The man in the street has a certain
notion that neither scheme viii work.
He wants to be governed, not by a
Mussolini. much less by Lenin, and
he perceives that the Lloyd George
type Is pure demagogue. But where in
all the world is he 20 find a leader TO
do the job he wants? At least large
measure of his present discomfort
arises from the fact that while things
do not improve, despite periodical
campaigns Of sunshine and Pollyanna
propaganda, nothing adequate IS being
done.
On the eve Of the inevitable election
one OF the most discussed issues Is
whether letting girls Of 81 vote will
destroy the country. While the coal
industry languishes the battle over the
"napper' vote never dies down.
A long-promised debate in the House
Of Commons over the coal problem
ended In an impassioned quarrel as
70 whether Mr.. Baldwin should have
answered the criticism in person or
by deputy. When 1t was all over. the
coal industry remained where il had
been before.
More Depression Now.
I find more depression and more
anxiety among the masses of the peo-
pie than ever before since the worst
days Of the war. There are more evil
dences OF hardship. more begging in
the streets. more public complaining.
and. what Is far more disturbing. more
settled pessimiSrn-
The average Engiishman is aware
pretty acutely aware-that things are
going better not merely in the United
States. but France end in Germany.
and perhaps in Italy. He Is conscious
OF messes all over his lot-trcuhle IN
China, which has inflicted staggering
losses; trouble with Russia. which
arouses fresh apprehensions about In
iia: all sorts Of European disturbances
just across the Channel. providing new
war falkland now q dispute with the
United States about naval parity.
Las. year IL was the coal strike. pre-
ce<ied by the general strike. when Re
had hoped for n beginning " tram
quilli,y.
In the tenth year after the arrni-
Stice. somehow or other. the prNsss-
sion to prosperity has not Vet formed.
And John Euii-ali the Bulls. big ard
little. are tired Of the thlnS-tirsd ct
the political troubles. domestic and
foreign. and being tired. they have
no visible means cf doing anything
about IL.
What is puxrlinS about the situa-
,ion grows cut of the fact that no enc
knows which political party - held IN
the chosce OF three proved failures, the
Tory. the I.ahorite and the lleerai
lie knows how they have failed ard
why they are likely ic so ca With
their own peculiar brand ~ failure.
Roth Proved Inadequate.
In this situation the real problem is
whether any prlitical party can SAsse
apon some passing Issue IL stampede
him, Etsur years asCN the TSNsies> With
admirable strategy. capitalized R>l-
>heviSt scare to carry an election, and
won twc-thipis ~ the seats In the
House ~ CcnsmoaS Tc<say they are
more mcsfeSsly hoping for new stunt
which will enable them - keep \ ma
icrity, Meantirae every cEse Knows
that Labor will set hack Sss own.
which Il aost before. and Something
besides
Sut scsaaily the British ship SvNSAN.
ing automatically and taiGSsSsalsN, Is
stuck in the SarSaSSc SSNs - ysslt;seS.
CSsal textiles. SxgsSSsgNFSN-~AW these
branches ~ British industrial hfe have
eeea had. remain hal an1. On the
whole. are Settiex wCsSs> ENsxy Sne
agrees something mus; ce aVne> TAs
psSsSs and the ruelie debates ag~ rs-
rlete with remedies
And as far as il is iNASSisNe - see In
the next general esectscn tire issue VIII
es again whether TS>rS w a lsae<Nr
remedy Is 70 ee applied. although Na:A
haNr been amply DEMONSTRATED ~ se
tnade0aa;e>
tIeavvtxAs saSFN