Evening star., 1937-05-27

Follouing is the second OF tpo
stories on the solid, conservative
British prime minister expected to
retire this week and the cautious
man 1Dho is to step into his shoes.
~ the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 27.-A tall, thin
nan with a mixture Of conservatism,
statecraft and bookkeeping in his
blood, conferred with political leaders
today on the makeup OF the CABINET
he will head as Great Britaln's next
prime minister.
Next door, at famed No. 10 Downing
street, Stanley Baldwin's famous pipe
sent clouds of smoke billowing around
his head as he wound up affairs at
his desk and made ready to hand
over the premiership to Neville Cham
berlain tomorrow.
The official list Of ministers OF the
Chamberlain cabinet will not be issued
until after the present chancellor OF
the exchequer has been called to
Buckingham Palace following Bald
wins retirement, but political quar-
ters freely predicted the principal
changes.
Runciman In Line for Promotion.
Walter Runciman, president Of the
Board Of Trade, who recently visited
President Roosevelt in Washington
was thought to be in line for a
peerage, with the title Of viscount.
He then will leave the Board OF
Trade and probably become lord privy
seal in place of Viscount Halifax, who
Is to succeed former Premier Ramsay
Macdonald as lord president OF the
Privy Council.
Latest forecasts gave Sir John Simon
the present home secretary, Cham
berlain's present post at the treasury
and named Sir Kingsley Wood, the
health minister, as the new home
secretary. Leslie Hore-Belisha is ex-
pected to leave the ministry OF trans
port for the health ministry.
The King summoned Macdonald te
an audience this morning, during
which it was thought he would re-
ceive the coveted Order of Merit or
his retirement as lord president of the
council.
MacDonald's Course.
Macdonald will not go to the House
Of Lords like his successor as prime
ninister-Baldwin is expected to be
given an earldom-but will continue
to sit in the House of Commons as
member OF Parliament for the Scot.
tsh universities.
Chamberlain gets his conservatism
and his craftsmanship from his father
the great Joe" Chamberlain, who
held Office in such governments a.
those Of Gladstone, Lord Salisbury anc
Balfour.
AS chancellor of the exchequer, Ne.
vile Chamberlain developed his facil.
ity for finance to the point where he
became a recognized master of bud.
gets" Now the 6S-year-old chancellor
has reached the premiership, post
denied both to his father and famous
half brother, the late Sir Austen
Chamberlain, who fathered the Lo-
carno treaty.
Entered Politices in 1916.
He entered national politics In
1916, when he was elected to Com
mons for the Ladywood division OF
Birmingham. He held the seat until
1929, after which he represented the
Edgbasten division.
In the Fall OF 1881 he took over the
treasury and the role Of new tax
hunter, two months after Great Brit
ain went of the gold standard.
Chamberlain tightened the govern
ment purse strings, demanding rigid
economy. He found new tax sources
to bolster the treasury, and although
he may not have won public support
for heavier taxation Immediately, his
policies were regarded as stable.
Last month he presented to Com
mons one Of the stiffest budgets of
the last decade-its keystone ST.
100000 900 defense program. Quietly
he Gained the storm OF protest at in
creased taxes by declaring the pro-
posal provided an "ever-quickening
approach to the goal of safety"