Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-13
A Moderate Program.


7'hs Labor government in Britain,
through J. r. Thomas, minister Of en-
ployment, has put forward in Parlia-
ment its f1rst proposal for dealing with
the unemployment situation. The mod
Grafton and sanity of these proposals
are In contrast with demands made by
come of the labor leaders during the
recent campaign. There Is no recon-
M ndation for the naturalization OF
great key industries. such as the mines
and the railroads. But Mr.. Thomas did
outline program for the jobless. which
included large governmental work on
highways. both for the construction of
new roads and for the repair Of old
For this work 1t il proposed 10 eXpend
within the next Ave years approximately
S1s0, 000.0 900. This money IL to be found
in taxes upon automobiles, set aside
particularly for this purpose. The labor
program also includes. among the pub
lie works to be carried OH. land drain
age, foreStation and fisheries, and
b
out various work of a public nature.
Aside from the initiation OF further
public works, the minister of employ
ment indicated in his address to the
House Of Commons that the government
intended TO aid in building up private
industry where 1t could. Just how he
proposes TO accomplish this was not
made clear, although in some quarters
II was thought TO forecast some kind
Of a protective tariff for industries.
The program advanced by the Labor
government of Britain was modified
partly because Of the fact that the
Labor party does not hold a clear ma
jority in the House, and rules only with
the aid Of votes from one OF the other
parties, or from both. Further, the
sense Of responsibility which falls upon
any government placed in power usu-
ally has It's quieting influence. 1t is
one thing to advocate radical changes
In the character of government and
the economic scheme of nation
and another to put them into effect.
Fortunately responsibility has It's sober
ing effect, particularly in countries
where the people control through the
ballot. But for whatever reason 1t may
be, the chance Of an advance of the
British on the road to state socialism
under Labor government seems far less
than 1t was pictured q few weeks ago.
There> are rumblings, it Is true, from
the left wing of the Labor party, be-
cause Of the moderation of the program
now advanced to aid in solving the
unemployment problem. There may be
demands for q show down on national
ization Of the mines and railroads by
some of the more radical Labor MEM
bers. But the indications are they will
be well beaten If they force the issue.
Unemployment has been the major
problem OF the British since the close
Of the World war. There are more
than a million man and woman workers
unemployed there today. At times the
unemployment has reached approx
mately two million. Unemployment
was the greatest issue of the recent
political campaign in Britain, over
shAdoWing even the matter OF foreign
relations. Each Of the parties, the
LMoor, the Conservative and the Liberal,
had its proposals to offer the voters.
The Liberal party, under the leadership
OF Lloyd George, advanced more COM
plete program Of public works even
than that now put forward by the
Labor government. The unemployment
insurance paid out annually in Eng
land amounts to huge tax. There
seems no way of getting rid e the
dole" however. unless work can pro-
vided for the workers who now have
no work.,
The progress which the Labor govern
ment makes in dealing with this prob
lem, which has It's human as we'll as
political and economic angles, will be
Ullowed with the keenest interest out
side Of England as well as within the
island kingdom. On its success in this
matter will depend to no small extent
the future of the Labor party. One
thing appears clear, however, and that
is that the party in power is not inclined
to 90 to lengths Of state socialism until
1t has tried out every other available
means Of meeting the situation.