Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-28

All Is well on the Thames. and the
National government at London still
nyes. The Labor party suffered over
wheiming defeat In yesterdays elec-
tons for the House OF Commons. On
the basis OF late returns. the coalition
forces led by Ramsay Macdonald had
carried the country in the ratio OF
nearly ten to one.
John Bull has given Premier Mac
Donald and his administration 1.-THE
doctors mandate" they sought--a man
date to restore British credit, defend
the pound and reorganize the king
dom's whole economic structure on lines
designed to strengthen II at home and
Tehabilitate its prestige abroad. 1t is
q result that viii ring around the
world.
The magnitude of Labor's defeat is
boundleSs. It's leader, Arthur Hender-
son, loses his seat; so does every other
outstanding Laborite politician, with the
single exception of the veteran George
Lansbury. who squeezed through in his
old East London constituency. Clynes,
Alexander, Tom Shaw, Ben Turner,
Thurtle, Pethwick- Margaret
Bondfield, Roberts, Sir Charles Ire
velyan, Greenwood, Susan Lawrence,
Ellen Wilkinson, Oliver Baldwin--all
shining lights in the Labor movement,
and many of them members of the late
Labor cabinet, find themselves today
outside the breastworks.
One or two Of them. like Henderson
and Clynes. may be presented with safe
seats in other divisions and thus be
enabled to return to Parliament. But
Labors power In the House Of Com
mons and in Downing street is broken
reed. It may eventuate with q bare
nifty seats at Westminster, compared to
the 2s0-odd it captured when Labor
swept into power under Ramsay Mac
Donald's leadership in May, 1929.
The National government will APP
parently resume once with a majority
Of 200 seats or more, consisting mainly
Of Stanley Baldwin's Conservatives.
1t looks as II the Conservatives may
achieve a clear majority in their own
right. but later results are required to
make this certain.
While the Baldwinites campaigned
openly ON the protection issue, the out
come Of the election does not mean that
the House of Commons. which they
will come near to ruling, is to proceed
at once to enact the tarid system. Mr.
Macdonald perfected an unwritten truce
with Mr.. Baldwin which debarS such
. program. Emergency protective rates
are in sight as part and parcel of the
policy the newly fortified National gov
eminent Is authorized to enforce for
purposes Of economic readjustment.
That sooner or lster--and probably
soon-Britain under Conservative DOM
ination will have recourse to protection
Is written in the stars.
John Bulls voters have given an ac-
count Of themselves that win command
the admiration and commentator of
the outside world and regalvanize its
belief in the deep-Seated common sense
Of the British people. Socialism, as
represented by the now fully discredited
wing Of the Labor party, has had its
fling. The fling was SO wild that 1t
brought Britain to the brink of ruin
lowering over the abyss, Ramsay Mac
Donald, bulwarked by the enlightened
leaders Of the Conservative and Liberal
parties, risked his own political life to
save the life Of the country. There is
happily every indication that his self
sacrifice has accomplished its high and
Altruistic purpose.
Bravo. Britain!