New Britain herald., 1929-11-27
ENGLAND STIRRED UP

W nat the Labor government in England proposes to do in regard to the manner of raising additional money for the payment of doles is stirring up the Conservative party newspapers. if not some others. The two hints dropped by Messrs. Tom Shaw, minister of war. and Phillip Snowden, chancellor of the eXche- quer uttered while they were miles apart but both having the same po- tentialities for change seem to augur a radical departure somewhere, and one which may not be extraordinari- ly pleasant.
 Mr. Shaw's words expressed the belief that the government is pay ing half billion dollars in interest 10 people who have not the slight est moral right to it and this fact will have to he faced if ever the government is 10 get on it's feet again." The chancellor of the ex- chequer, making speech before bankers, said it was well to be hon. ored by those present now, as they might not be willing to extend similar honor in the near future.
 Ominous words, these; and it looks to many as if the Socialist govern ment of Great Britain intends 10 change some of the rules of the game whereby more money can be secured out of the rich to pay to the poor. That is the fear generally ex- pressed and nervousness is quite natural.
 With respect to naval negotiations and reparations, the prestige of the Labor government is higher than that of any other British admnistra- tion for years. The Conservatives ut tered bitter attacks regarding the recognition of Russia. but the ma- jority for recognition in the House of Commons easily disposed Of that issue. Troubles in India for a week threatened to give the opposition a strong talking point, but it also fad ed away in the cold light of reason, as did the flareup in connection with affairs in Egypt.
 The belief is general that the main difficulty of the Labor government will come with domestic affairs. The issues still unsolved include unem- ployment, and the prostration of the coal and agricultural industries. The Conservatives, who hope to score as these problems, can scarcely make much headway while such serious factional rifts exist within it's own party It is a party divided within itself Fractional troubles are so bad that Conservative party members have been very slack at attendance in Parliament, evidently thinking their presence would make no diff ference.
 Meanwhile the Labor party has been putting through important legislation, the widows pension bill having gone through third reading, It also seems likely to be successful with the unemployment insurance bill, which is being debated. The only rift in the Labor party's ef- forts seems to be the demands of the ultra radical Left Villagers, who want a system of complete main- tenance of the unemployed by the state. They also demand easier con- ditions to qualify for unemployment money. Of course, the way to get the money, the radicals reason, is to "tax the rich"
 This is the plan which is arousing the consternation in the Conservative party ranks; the radical plan may go through. Already the bill amend ing the existing unemployment in surancc act increases the benefits of certain classes of the unemployed, the increase to cost approximately SGO,0O0,000 a year.