Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-16
LIBERALS
VOTE TO SUPPORT
PREMIER IN CRISIS
MaCDonaId'S Fate Rests on
Ballot Tonight Concerning
Unemployment Policies.
BY the Associated Press.

BY tne Associated freSAs
LONDON, April 16.-Government
majority on tonight's division was be-
ueved assured by vote taken by the
Liberals this afternoon. Twenty EIGHT
favored supporting the government,
seven were in favor of voting for the
Conservative motion of censure, and
eight we're IN favor Of abstaining.
After listening to former Prime Min
lister Baldwin, the Conservative leader,
deliver a slashing attack on the Mac
Donald ministry for its handling of the
unemployment problems, the Liberals
heard Tom Johnson, lord privy seal.
make the Laborites' defense.
Immediately Johnston finished, the
Liberals trooped solemnly out of the
Chamber, headed by Lloyd George, to
decide what action they would take.
Macdonald Appears Nervous.
Silence fell on the House. and OBJ
servers in the press gallery noticed
Prime Minister Macdonald tapping
softly with one foot on the fioor-his
inevitable practice when he doesn't
think things are going too well.
In an atmosphere of considerable
tenseness the House of Commons assem-
bled for the session after all parties had
ance of the last possible member for the
expected clash on the vote of censure
The result was visible in the we'll filled
benches eight hours before the vote was
to be taken.
It was felt generally that the gov
eminent would have small majority
The Laborite Daily Herald thought 1t
would be about 10 votes, or even 20, If
the Conservatives did not poll their
full strength.
Cites Election Pledges.
Speaking of the accompaniment of
frequent Conservative cheers and Labor
Interruptions, Mr. Baldwin said it was
unnecessary to go back more than two
years to get all the evidence required
to support the first part of the motion
which declares the government has
failed to carry out its election pledges
regarding unemployment.
The Conservative leader quoted de-
risively the pledges made. by the
Laborites in 1929 regarding their de-
termination to deal with unemployment.
party a fair chance and what the House
has to examine today is what use they
have made of it." he said.
knowledge that the governments de-
feat would mean its resignation had
the members keyed up to the highest
pitch and cheers and counter cheers
echoed from the very opening of the
debate.
The first member to get into trouble
with the speaker was Lady Aston. After
she had kept up a steady series of in
terruptions while Johnston was speak
ing she was warned from the chair
that If she persisted in interrupting
she would have to leave the house.
!, Baldwin Taunts Rivals.
Baldwin spoke 40 minutes and dis
played a vein of humor which he does
not usually permit himself. His sup
porters rocked with laughter over his
taunts at the Macdonald government.
Government supporters greeted his SAL
lies with derisive applause.
The Liberals alone sat silent. On
their shoulders depends the fate Of the
government and from the start they
preserved an attitude of judicial calm.
Tom Johnston, new lord privy seal,
opened the governments defense by
declaring Great Britain was one indus
q JTldi country WHICH NdS fIleellIIS lto
difficulties without resort to bread
lines or soup kitchens. Since the last
debate on unemployment, on February
20, he said, approximately 100000 900
worth of work had been stimulated by
gcTernmcnt assistance.
Gives World Figures.
The House and the country, Johnston
said, should appreciate the magnitude
of the problem with which the govern
merit is faced. There are. he said
5000 900 unemployed in Germany and
1000 900 in the United States.
He was proceeding to give the figures
for France when Jack Jones, Laborite
who is acknowledged as the licensed"
jester Of the House. interjected there's
one more now-Alfonzo." The members
received the sally with roar of laugh
ter.
One of the auditors was George Hicks,
new Labor member for East Woolwich,
vino was elected only yesterday. He
took his seat early this afternoon, in
time to add one more vote against the
eensure motion.