Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-09
BY HENRY w. BUM.
.HE following is a brief summary
of the most important news of
the world for the seven days

of the most important news of
the world for the seven days
ended June 8:
GREAT BRITAIN.-TheK Kings con-
dition Is much improved. Returns to
date Of the general elections show the
distribution of seats in the new House
of Commons as follows: LaboriteS, 288;
Conservatives, 258; Liberals, So; Ma
tionalists North Ireland, 3; Independ-
ents, 8; Prohibitionists, l; doubtful, 4,
1t therefore appears that the Laborites
have a handsome plurality of seats in
the new Lower House, but lack of a
certain majority (308) probably by 20,
at least by 16. However, it seems fairly
certain that the three Irish Nationalist
will back Labor on all important issues;
so let us say that Labor, in effect, lacks
Of certain majority, probably by II,
at least by Is. On June Mr.. Baldwin
resigned, and the next day Ramsay
Macdonald was invited to form La
Dor government. He accepted and took
Office yesterday.
But analysis tends to reassure those
who regard the Labor party with fear
and suspicion. The popular vote did
not correspond at all closely to the par
liamentary results. OF that vote the
Conservatives won 80 per cent, the La
borites 81 and the Liberals %. More
over, throughout the election campaign
the Liberal spokesman were necessarily
emphatic in denunciation of Socialism.
The Conservative falling-of in respect OF
the popular vote in comparison with the
party's showing in the 1924 elections
was dreadful Though it must be re-
membered that the 1924 election was an
abnormal one), but the Liberal gain
was proportionately as 3 to 2 in COM
parison with the Laborite gain. The
popular vote was, roughly, as fol-
lows: Conservatives, 1856, 900; Laborites,
8,383,000: Liberals, 5,217,000 scatter
ing, 100000. I think we may fairly say
that, roughly, of 22,500,000 Britons who
went to the polls 100000 expressed
themselves against Socialism and $780,
900 for it Though with multitudinous
differences in this latter group as to the
amount and as to the kind of Socialism
desired).
1t is, of course, impossible precisely
to determine the significance of a popu-
lar vote, but it would seem safe
statement that on May 80, whatever
else the popular vote might mean, a
substantial majority of the British
electorate declared for less cautious
attitude than that maintained by the
Conservative government toward the
ton aimed at armament reductions,
that it demanded more vigorous
wrestling with the unemployment prob
lem 1t is scarcely possible to deduce
the majority sentiment upon the Con-
sentative policy of safeguarding OF IN
dustry "a limited protection), and this
for the reason that, while many Labor
ties are known to lean in favor Of that
policy, no one may say how many nor
how far.
The best opinion seems to be that the
new government will institute gen
erous" policy respecting the League
and disarmament efforts; that it will
move for holder measures toward re-
ducing unemployment probably to in
volve state productive undertakings on
an important scale); that it will pro-
pose legislation for the coal mining in
dustry at the least not less liberal than
that recommended in the Samuel re-
port: that it will propose resumption