Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-24
MCDONALD PUTS
CAREER At STAKE
Loss of Labor Following Is
FACED in championing
Coalition Rule.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, August 24.-Ramsay Mac
Donald may have committed political
suicide, some political observers believe,
in turning his back on the extreme de-
Inarlds of many of his followers and
championing the cause of coalition gov
eminent to save the country from finan-
cial disaster,
Certainly his party is split wide open.
One section still follows him under the
slogan. Equal sacrifice by all" but an
other powerful faction is violently OPP
posed to his program and refuses to
countenance any sacrifice by the work.
ing class.
Expulsion Threatened.
As head of the new national gov
eminent Mr.. Macdonald may achieve r
name which will bulk large in history,
but it may easily be that when the ma
tional government has done its work
and a general election is called he will
find himself leader without any con-
siderable following. Indeed, already
there is threat to expel him and his
supporters from the Labor party.
However that may be. at least he will
have the satisfaction of knowing that
many people, even some of those who
have been his bitter political enemies.
are giving him credit for having made
a great patriotic and personal sacrifice.
They are acclaiming him as the man of
the hour.
Risks Career Third Time
This is the third time Ramsay Mac
Donald has risked his career for q
principle.
The first was years ago when as a
young man he cast his lot with the
cause of labor.
Then came the World War and his
idealistic views impelled him to take
stand against the conflict in which his
country already was engaged. England
as a whole classed him as q renegade
and he was even expelled from the golf
club in his home town of Lossiemouth.
Now comes this economic crisis which
he believes can be met only by the
concerted action of all parties, and he
has deliberately cut adrift from that
large section Of his own party which
refused to back him.
Faces Bitter Opposition.
When Prime Minister Macdonald
takes his proposed national government
before the House Of Commons he will
meet with bitter opposition from large
and very vocal section Of the Labor
party.
Labor ministers in the national gov
eminent may be able to carry with
them a large number of the so-called
intellectuals in the Labor party, but
they are likely to lose the support of
the Left Wing and probably of ma
jority Of the trades union members.
Any widespread plan of economies
IN social services and cuts in the dole
are virtually certain TO meet with
fierce resistance from many Labor
members of Commons.
Henderson May Be Named.
The position of Labor members who
ioin the new government viii be con-
sidered shortly by the national execu-
tive of the Labor party.
It was pointed out today in Labor
quarters that only the national execu-
tive or special conference of the
party can sanction an official connec-
ton of individual members Of the party
with a new government and that the
action of such cabinet memberS--n
they are to represent the party-must
be in conformity with the policy OF
the party. It is doubtful whether the
national executive viii sanction partici..
patton IN the government.
Indeed, it Is regarded as possible
that those who support the new gov
eminent may be expelled from the
Labor party.
Observers say that in such a case.
It is highly probable Arthur Henderson
would be the new leader of the party
In place of Mr. Macdonald
It seemed evident, therefore, that
the final result Of the present crisis
might be to weaken the Labor move
ment IN England for a considerable
period, owing TO a split in the party.
A oliver xn,,fF hoy daecr,had q. atha