Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-26
BY FRANK H. sIMoNDs.
,ONDON, January IS.

LONDON, January IS.
N TO more impressive contrast could
be imagined than that between
the ID, departure and the arrival
the London Conference. From
New York the delegation departed
amidst the thunder of an artillery
salute fired in honor of its cabinet
members, attended by the equally vocif-
erous discharge of the editorial artillery
in all the newspapers of all political
colors.
At Plymouth the delegation came
ashore in the cold dawn of a damp
morning, the statesmen and their
wives huddled upon the cold and crowd
ed deck of tender. They were un-
announced by any artillery in Ply
mouth Harbor, they were greeted only
by the chain encircled Jimmy Walker of
Observation-Disclosures by his mace-bear-
ing retainerS-and they were wellnigh
unnoticed, alike in the news and edi-
torial columns of the principal British
journals
Was there in this reception anv
touch OF hostility or unfriendliness? Did
1t represent any deliberate attempt
either to injure the conference itself
or to disclose British suspicion-or
WorSe-of American participation in it?
IneSe questions come naturally, but ]
believe they must be answered by an
emphatic negative. The true expiana-
ton must be sought in British home
conditions rather than in any British
attitude toward the American visitor.
Bad Press Reception Blamed.
The fact is the London Conference
mas mad bad press reception. This
is equally true of the attitude of the
general British public, which is, to saw
the least, apathetic. These two facts
must always be kept in mind hereafter
IN viewing the progress of the confer
ence itself and may have more thar
little influence on its outcome.
AS to the attitude of most, if not all
from the fact that they are anti-Labor
and the conference itself is not only q
personal adventure of Ramsay Mac
donald himself but, If successful. NAV
| result In marked prolongation of the
lie OF the present socialistic govern.
ment This attitude is accentuated
too, by the fact that Macdonald has
Kept the British press and public in
absolute darkness as to his own pros
poets and purposes.
! suppose there is small wing of the
BRUSH Tory party, responsive to navy
opinion as voiced by Lord Beatty, which
would like to see the conference fail
which has hoped, and perhaps still
hopes. to start stunt panic based upon
the old theme of the sacrifice of British
security to American prestige, and thus
sweep out Labor today as It was swept
out six years ago by the Red panic
But while all the British press, with
rare exceptions, Is hostile to, Labor
only a few extremists on the Tory sids
would desire either to plunge the colIn-
try into general election now or Il
take over the responsibilities of power
For general election might give Labor
q clear majority and no sensible poli.
tician of any party wants the RESPONSE
olllty OF government in England at the
present hour.
Tory Papers VIII GrumbIe.
The success in domestic administra-
ton at the moment as a consequence
OF economic and financial circumstances
is out of the question. What the Tories
hope for is that Labor will hold office
until its failure has been catastrophe
IN political sense, since British condi-
tons are not to be remedied by any
miracle or changed by any stroke of
craftsmanship. Therefore, the Tory
press Will grumble at Macdonald and
criticize the weakness of his surrenders
and even denounce his sacrifices OF
! British prestige, but 1t will hardly ven
ture to upset the cabinet or advise the
ruin OF the conference, either during its
progress or by later rejection of its
work. provided Macdonald keeps within