Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-23
BRITISH POLITICS
STIR MAJOR CRISIS
Labor Government and Ma
tionaI Aid Empire Issues in
Balance This Week.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, March 2S.-The life Of the
Labor government as well as the fate
of many national and empire issues
may be profoundly affected by the
British political drama which viii be
unfolded this week. Indian negotiations
and international problems, particularly
in reference to worldwide disarmament,
are only q few Of the questions in
volved.
Never in modern times has the po-
litical confusion been greater in this
country than at present. A major crisis
exists as q result Of the fine balance Of
parties in Parliament and internal party
dissention over policies and Uersonali-
ties.
The Laborites have their own worries.
with Sir Oswald Mosley forming q
new party" on the Right and the Max
toniteS on the Left wing causing even
more real trouble. But Prime Minister
Ramsay MacDonalds troubles are small
compared with those of leaders Of the
older parties, such as David Lloyd
George and Stanley Baldwin.
MacDonald's hope is that by the next
week end he and his colleagues Of the
cabinet viii be safely entrenched in Of
nee again with a mandate to proceed
on the basis of at least one more year,
and perhaps two years, Of governmental
authority, despite the Laborites' mi
nortty position at Westminster.
Spectacular Fight Forecast.
The prime minister's hope probably
will be realized, but first Lloyd George
will take the center of the stage again
and, amid the dwindling rebeIiious
ranks of the Liberals, fight another Of
the spectacular battles that have made
his career so picturesque.
On Tuesday the Liberals will meet In
q party conclave for q showdown be-
tween Lloyd George and Sir John ST.
mon, who would tear the Liberal sup
port from beneath the Macdonald gov
eminent and let 1t fall. There are So
Liberals in Parliament, and not more
than IS at the most would follow Simon
in resigning.
Lloyd George is assured of at least 40
members, and these are sufficient to
maintain his position of holding the
balance of power. His immediate prob
lem is to control this band of 90.
The present situation has given rise
to an exaggerated rupncr that Lloyd
George Is negotiating with the Laborites.
some reports going so far as to say that
he would be offered a portfolio in Mac
Donald's cabinet, which would then be-
come Labor-Liberal coalition govern
ment.
RumOr Of Dictatorship.
Another rumoE is that Lloyd George
would become a virtual dictator behind
the scenes Of the Labor government, and
again that the LaboriteS, If they remain
in power. will pledge themselves not to
introduce any purely socialistic legisla-
ton. Left wing Laborites say there is
no danger OF that! James Maxtcn, their
leader, maintains that the last ConSer-
vatlve government put through more
socialistic legislation than the present
Labor government has done.
The simple facts of the situation are
that the Macdonald government, while
desiring TO stay in of1ce for at least
another year, or until after resumption
Of the Indian Round-table Conference
and the World Disarmament Confer
ence in Geneva in 1882, has no idea
Of holding on unless its legislative po-
sition as q minority regime is recog-
nized and supported.
Lloyd George, upon whom devolves
responsibility for turning the govern
ment out and precipitating a general
election, which the Liberals themselves
admit would find their electoral chances
at the lowest ebb, must consolidate his
forces. Even If he has only 40 follow
ers, he must be able TO deliver their
votes on critical issues.
1t Is expected that Lloyd George will
get vote of confidence on Tuesday,
even II a dozen or more Simonites re-
sign. However, he will not be q virtual
dictator Of Labor policies any more
than he has been in the past.