Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-07
Meeting
A Center of Attention
BY A. G. GARDINER.

LONDON, June 6.-All eyes this week
end are focused on Chequers. the coun-
try seat of the prime minister, where
Chancellor Bruening and Foreign Min
ister Curtius of Germany are visiting
Ramsay Macdonald and Foreign Secre-
tary Arthur Henderson.
The prospect of this visit has created
much agitation in the French press In
view of that agitation, emphasis is laid
on the fact that the event is purely a
courtesy visit devoted to informal talks
Nevertheless. the alarming deterioration
of economic conditions in Germany,
coupled with the growing conviction
that unless she secures relief by re-
vision of reparations payments the re-
public will be threatened with over
whelming and political disaster, must
dominate the discussions.
X 4
1t is not expected that ChancelloF
Bruening will present a demand for 8
moratorium on the Young plan or Will
reopen the question of reparations, but
he certainly will present a case for
swift, drastic action, if Germany Is To
be saved from an incalculable catas-
trophe.
The discussions will not be confined
to Germany's perilouS situation, for
pressing than hers, while the situation
of the Labor government is once mor4
in grave peril This latter fact Is due
to publication Friday of the Interim
report of the Unemployment Insurance
Commission containing recommends
tons which. though mild compared to
those carried out in Germany. have
aroused bitter resentment in the Labor
party. This writer's forecast of rec
concentrations a fortnight ago has been
fulfilled. The proposals aim to make
the insurance scheme solvent and self
supporting by increasing rate contribu-
tions. reducing benefits and eliminating
abuses of the dole. 1t is estimated that
the annual saving effected would
amount to more than SIPS 100000, re-
ducing the total cost of the scheme to
less than S500,0o0,000.
What will Premier Macdonald do in
the face of this report? The commits
sion was appointed by him. under pres
sure of the complete breakdown of the
insurance system. to devise a scheme
to restore it TO an actuarial basis But
the immediate result of the issuing of
the report is raging. tearing propa-
ganda by the independent Labor party
against the proposals being put into
effect, and the trades unions, while
agreeing to the suppression of fragrant
abuses, declare their opposition to in
crease contributions and the diminution
of benefits.
Macdonald is in a dilemma between
putting into effect the proposals which
he himself has asked for and facing a
revolt in his own ranks. The general
expectation is that he will accept the
proposals for stamping out the grosser
abuses. but shrink from adopting the
bold measures of reconstruction sug-
geSted by the commission. In this he
would be deserted by his own support
ers and would have to rely on Conserva-
tive votes.
Much depends on the attitude of the
Liberals, who, individually, are in favor
of the adoption of the commissions
recommendations, but are now hitched
to Labor's chariot and virtually COM
mitted to keeping the government In
power at any sacrifice. Moreover, like
all parties, the Liberals are in desperate
fear Of going to the electorate as adj
| vocates Of economy at the expense of
the unemployed 1t is improbable,
! therefore, that they will put the screws
| on the government, to compel the adop-
ton of the report. Even the ConServa-
| lest doing so should prejudice their
! prospects in their constituencies when
( the election comes.
| 1t seems tolerably certain, therefore,
that measures which every expert in
the country agrees are urgently neces-
sary, II catastrophe is to be avoided,
and which are recommended by the
| governments own commission, will be
sandbagged by party political calcula-
tions, and that the day of reckoning
may be postponed by another year BY
that time the deficit on the system, at
the present rate of expenditure. will be
81 900 100000 and the financial posi-
ton Of the country will be bordering on
bankruptcy, for it is already clear that
the expectations on which Chancellor
Snow6en'S budget were founded are
doomed.
| Copyright, 1917