Evening star., 1932-01-23
Britain Heads for q Tariff.

ten in England Just at this time that
will later puzzle the students OF British
affairs. .It is puzzltng even to present
observers, It's explanation lying only In
the hypothesis Of acute national neces-
sity. For as long as memory runs, for
a good many generations, In fact, the
fundamental principle of parliamentary
government in Great Britain has been
that Of collective cabinet responsibility
Ministries have stood or have fallen
upon this principle. AS long as the
unity OF the dominant party, represent
ed in the ministry by chosen members,
with the support Of q majority Of the
Parliament, has been preserved the gov
ernment has been sustained. When the
ministry has divided upon question OF
fundamental policy, or when the Parlia-
rnent has withdrawn its support to the
point of leaving the ministry IN the
minority, change has been effected
through an appeal to the country; !;
in other. words, general election
lust now, however, crisis has been
reached that has been passed by the
abandonment of the principle of "col-
1sctive responsibility The cabinet has
split upon the question of the tariff.
" is a coalition cabinet, composed OF
representatives of both the Conserya-
tive and the Liberal parties, the latter
somewhat combined with the moderate
Iaborites. The Conservatives demand
+srifYy legislation, erecting a customs
wall for the protection Of British in
dustries. Tariff is anathema to the
Liberals. When the pinch OF decision
cams' the ministry found itself divided.
rrnder the former and long maintained
practfcs resignation Of the ministry and
dissoIutior, Of Parliament, with a gen
eral election, would have ensued. To
"save the situation" to avoid another
election closely following that which
recently swept the Labor party out of
mower and all but disintegrated the
Liberal parry, a compromise has been
effected. Prime Minister Macdonald
announces the adjustment thus: .
II has been determined that some
v,odiflcations of the usual ministerial
practice is required, and those ministers
who And themselves unable to support
the conclusions arrived at by the ma
iority of their colleagues on the sub
Iect of import duties and other cognate
matters are at liberty TO express their
view by speech or vote. the caolnet'
being essentially united on all other mat
ters Of policy, believes that by this spe-
cial provision It is best interpreting tne
will Of the nation and the needs OF tne
time.
There are four cabinet members who
dissent from the tariff policy, three
Liberals. and one Laborite. They balk
at the proposal Of general ten or If
teen per cent tariff on manufactured
goods to be Imposed as soon as possible
after Parliament convenes and can pass
the necessary bills. There is majority
for the bills In Parliament and they will
probably pass. Whether the mora
toriums upon politics win long survive
the legislative action remains TO be de-
termined by events. The major fact OF
Importance is that a cabinet split has
been saverted by the expedient OF the
IAbor-Idberal quartet in the. ministry
looking the other way while the pro-
gram Is being carried to conclusion.
Nobody looks for long life for this
coalition. which resulted from a high
pressure appeal to the country for ma
tional" government. The vote cast at
the recent election was overwhelmingly
Conservative. It is the confident ex-
pectation of that party that 1t will soon
be given, a mandate for the formation OF
a strictly Conservative ministry. Just
when that will come about is not to be
forecast There are conditions in being
and in the making which may compel
the retention for a considerable period
of the present government. which is
virtually an emergency organization
Meanwhile Great Britain will go on a
tariff sbaSis. which may In itself cause
Important changes in the political
nne-lp.