Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-27
BRITAIN SUFFERING
FROM THE Blues
National Pessimism Arises
From Reverses in All
Activities.
BY Gable to The Star.

BY Cable to The Star.
LONDON, July 26.--If it can with
any accuracy be said of nations thai
they, like individuals, have their moods
Britain's present mood could only bt
described as a prolonged attack Of "the
blues" That national feeling, as repre-
sented by the expressions and the
actions of the people of all classes, runs
in cycles, it is scarcely open to doubt
Observers who for many years have
shared the life of any country realize
that these cycles can be charted. Some
times they depend on such things a:
the state of trade, sometimes upon the
haphazard arrangements by which
national habits of life are governed.
An instance of the latter condition
is found in the fair certainly that fol
some days before Christmas, for In
stance-or before any major holiday
few new or important political or in
dustrial developments will take place
here The reason for this is >fairly
obvious, those who habitually inaugu-
rate such developments have their
thoughts otherwise occupied.
No Specific Cause.
But at present these normal move
ments cannot be said to be more than
contributory causes to the prevailing
feeling in this country. There is evil
dent generally a mood and expression
of pessimiSm which seems to derive
from no specific event, but from the
number of them and partially from the
psychological impression produced by
their coincidence.
AS the early hours of the morning
are period of low vitality for indi-
vidual humanity, this Summer seems
to constitute such a period for Britain.
For one thing, Britain is suffering even
more than some other countries from
the prevailing world trade depression.
On top of this, unemployment figures
are being relentlessly driven toward
the two million mark by additional eff
fectS Of the Indian boycott on British
goods. The industrial world has to look
forward in the future to tax payments
on an increased scale impossible in the
last budget.
Politically, the Labor government has
perhaps done as well as could be ex-
pected, but the fact remains that II
has utterly failed to cope with the I'M
employment problem, while its pet do
meStic measurable coal mines bill
has had to be passed in emasculated
form, which has annoyed the miners
and their members of Parliament.
Even Sport Fails.
Even in sport things have gone badly
Americas triumph in the golf and ten
mis- championships, and Britain's fail
ure thus far to vanQuish Australia in
that most British of all sports, cricket
perhaps have depressed the man in the
street more than have the figures of the
falling of of British trade-and Ascot
was washed out'' by a torrential rain
Whether in any year there are more OF
less American tourists than before is
always debatable question here, but
local shopkeepers, as well as people with
Scotch shootings to let, say that the
crop of this year is unusually poor
Finally. just at the beginning of the
local holiday season there has been a
period of cold, wet weather.
1t is supposed to be characteristic OF
Britons to take their pleasures sadly
and to grouse without meaning IL
overmuch. Doubtless these partially
true generalizations tend to intensity
the impression produced uponSs nom
British observers, but they do not ac-
count for the general tone of the news
papers, casual conversations and bust
ness letters.
Some Expect Improvement.
The time certainly seems TO be pro-
pitious for some concerted effort to
better things-for it isn't q British
habit to give in under stress Here and
there appear signs of this. For instance
one or two business leaders have VEN
tured the opinion that the rock bot
tom has been reached; while the Daily
Mail a few days ago called attention
to the prevalence of the catch phrase
which 1t claims its representatives find
things will oe better in
the Autumn" For a time it looked as
though the empire crusade" for the
imposition of tariffs might turn out
to be real crusade, but just now that
movement is hanging fire.
OF course such waves of pessimism
as now exist usually tend to exaggerate
the real seriousness of the position
Even though temperaments these days
tend to match the gray and sodden
skies overhead, the average Briton, to
his own phrase, isn't putting up the
shutters yet" But he would like to
see the silver lining to his present
clouds, and any man or organization
that can reveal 1t automatically stands
good chance Of being able to mold
British opinion for some time to come.
tCopyrisht, 1900
- - a-Ea 80 ~ ~--R~6la - n.ns