Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-05

Lloyd George In the role Of silent
partner with the Labor government of
Great Britain, through his position as
leader of the Liberal bloc, appears to
Americans once more as shrewd fac
tor in politics. His action in saving the
Macdonald ministry from defeat Is rec
ognized as based upon hope of electoral
reform, which would give greater power
to minoritieS.
Holding that sit Is gratifying to the
world that the government OF Premier
Macdonald has weathertd another crit
zeal test" the Flint Daily journal be-
lieves that 1.-The cabinet is safe until at
least next April, when the budget is
presented" That paper contends that
uncertainty has kept England on
edge" and AYERS that the administra-
tton "has done rather well in a very
trying time" with the conclusion that
until there is clear reason for
change, it is hoped that rash action will
not be taken"
1t is pointed out by the Roanoke
Times that "the three-party system
that has come about in English politics
in recent years has resulted in situa-
ton whereby, as often as not. the party
in power is minority in Parliament at
times" Tha Times continues in its
estimate of present conditions: Recent
local elections show a drift toward the
Conservatives. This trend is apt to
gain in momentum as time goes by, and
the Conservatives will be wise to play
waiting game. Mr.. Macdonald has
made a creditable record in many re-
spects but. due to causes beyond his
control, he has failed to solve the press
ing domestic problem which he was
called to office to handle. His govern
ment's lease on power Is insecure and
uncertain and 1t can be only matter
of months until he Is forced out. But
he is wise to insist that when his defeat
comes it shall be on q definite and
clear-cut issue of importance and not
on a minor point Of no particular sig
nificance."
"The Macdonald government, despite
the absolutely solid opposition Of the
Conservatives and the dissent Of many
Liberals" observes the Providence
Journal, 'manag to command enough
votes OH the second reading of the
trades dispute act to stay in office. They
had only 81 votes to spare. Had they
failed to reeeire these votes, the Mac
Donald government would have gone
out of office and the country, presum-
ably, would have been faced with gen
eral election" Suggesting that the
Laborite victory appears to be rather
hollow" for the bill IS expected to be
amended beyond recognition" the
Journal views the victory as serving ito
bring into sharper relief than ever the
fact that the Laborites can continue In
Office only through the courtesy of the
two opposition parties; that they
have no genuine reserve strength to
muster in crisis"
Lloyd George kspt the larger part of
his party behind him." says the Louis
vile Courier journal, discussing the
par.ianl ntary vote, land by abstention
upheld the government. He can now
press for a new franchise MEASURE
which will give the Liberals represen-
tation in proportion to their voting
strength, In the last general election,
the faction under Lloyd George polled
% per cent Of the total vote, but won
only Q per cent of the seats in the
House. To rectify this situation has
been the idea uppermoSt in the mind OF
the Liberal leader, though so far he has
striven in vain to put it into actual
form. In his position of being the ds-
Gliding factor in a controversy such as
the trades dispute bill, Lloyd George Is