Evening star., 1932-09-28
SERIOUS OUTCOME POSSIBLE
Resignation of Macdonald Feared
in Cabinet Crisis.
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.

BY CONSTANTINE BROWN.
The British cabinet crisis is looked
upon with serious misgivings in Wash
ington diplomatic circles because of the
possibility of Ramsay Macdonald re-
signing as premier of Great Britain.
Such resignation would have
in ordinary times, little worry,
but today it is considered as an inter-
national calamity; with Germany and
France hurting at each other accusa-
tionS of bad faith and aggressive inten-
tions: with the League of Nations be-
coming every day weaker and less capa-
BILE of maintaining cordial relations
nations, for which purpose it
had been originally created, the pres
ence of Macdonald at the head of the
British government is about the only
hope of averting a calamity in Europe.
Macdonald is genuinely interested
in the maintenance of peace in the
world. Backed by Great Britain's power.
his work for peace has had a moderat-
ing influence on the continental ma
tlons. He is smooth and forceful and,
though frequently accused CT trying to
maintain by his policies the balance Of
power in Europe by throwing Britains
Which Great Britain was mainly inter-
ested. he has succeeded in solving many
a difficult problem which no other Brit
ish statesman could have solved.
European statesmen respect MacDon-
aid and have frequently gone out Of
their way to comply with his requests,
to maintain at least apparent good
relations with each other. His main
interest is in peace.
1t is mainly because he wanted to
serve the interests of the world peace
that he has committed political suicide,
as far as party politics are concerned,
when he agreed to serve as prime min
lister in the British national cabinet,
against the wishes of his party. The
Labor party is MacDonald's child; he
has devoted all his life to bring it
to the strength it has today-Britains
second powerful party. Yet that party
has now disavowed him.
May Weather Storm.
1t is possible that Macdonald may
weather the present political storm in
Great Britain and maintain himself in
Office for short time. But the writing
on the wall is very clear hat with the
Liberals out of the cabinet, MacDonalds
tenure OF office is bound 70 be short.
Left alone in sea of TorylSm his in
fuence Is bound to diminish and it Is
expected that before the end of the
year, if not sooner, he will be compelled
to yield his position to the Conserva-
tive leader, Stanley Baldwin.
1t IS true that of all the political men
In Great Britain Stanley Baldwin is
closer to Macdonald than any other
man. But Baldwin is only a figurehead
In the Conservative party and in a
100 per cent Tory cabinet his influence
in directing Britain's foreign policy
will be small.
The British Conservatives are inter-
eSted In the maintenance of peace, but
they are mainly interested in the re-
establishment Of Britain's political and
economic power; this is their chief OBJ
Ject. Consequently the foreign policies
OF an unadulterated conservative cab
met will be less toward the mainte-
nance Of peace at any price. and more
toward Britain before anything else.
With such policy it is likely that Brit
ain will become less and less the cham
pion of disarmament and will support
the policies of those nations which can
assist Great Britain to regain her place
as the foremost power in the world. For
the time being the nation which can
assist Britain most is France, and for
that reason it is believed that the rela-
tons between the two countries will be
closer than they have been during the
last three years.
Such a policy. it is thought here,
will make the present grouping of pow
ers in Europe more distinct than it is
at present. At Geneva, and in the
various international conferences which
are being held now, the position OF
Great Britain is more or less that of
go-between, between the antagonlstlc
powers. France and her allies on one
side, Germany, Italy and their aSsoci-
ateS on the other side. In the last
IL months Great Britain has changed
from camp to camp in its endeavor to
keep the balance of power, according to
the requirements of the international
situation. 1t is only lately, when the
British foreign secretary, Sir Jon Simon.
sent strongly-Worded note to the Ger
man government in answer to the Ger
man request for equality in armaments
that the German group gained the i'm
preston that Britain had definitely
joined the other camp. The Simon note,
it is said, never had the full approval
Of Ramsay Macdonald, but it was sup
ported by the Conservative members Of
the British national cabinet.
MacDonald's idea, is reported to have
been to send conciliatory note, which
would have placed Great Britain in the
position of arbitrating between France
and Germany. This idea of Ramsay
Macdonald was based on his knowledge
that at this time, private conversations,
with man of his type acting as q
friendly adviser. would more likely be
successful than the submitting the
whole quarrel before an international
tribunal formed by those powers which
are interested in the treaty of Ver-
sailles. Yet Simon won against MS
chief.
The present grouping Of nations IN
| two distinct camps is considered in WELL
informed quarters in Washington noth-
| ing short of calamity. Such a group
i ing has as chief object the solution or
| the many controversial problems py
mutual support agreed between the
powers concerned, on the basis OF re-
| ciprocal advantages, and 1t takes away
| the spirit of international collaboration
| for which at least some OF the Leaders
| of the world have been fighting In the
| last few years.
1t is because of this desire to see
this international collaboration become
| effective that the United States Gov
ernment has abandoned many OF the
fast set principles of not getting en-
tangled in European affairs, and has
agreed to send American representa-
tives, either officially or unofhclaly at
the many conferences which have taken
place in the last years.
| It Is feared in well informed quarters
| In Washington that the eventual olS-
appearance Of Ramsay Macdonald from
the scene of international politics will
be one Of the most severe blows inter