Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-05-16

a policy OF principal adopted and
followed through-such men are
anathema to him. He had to have
some OF the real 100 per cent Tories
In his cabinet, but wherever he could
he kept the thorough men and the
strong men out. He gave as much
power IS he could and the key posi-
tions wherever he could to his
Liberal and MacDonaldite allies, and
because he preferred a mixed team,
hoping that the different sentiments
and points OF view would cancel each
other out, 1t proved a difficult team to
drive
Baldwin has been industrious in
that he has been a constant attender
in Parliament. and has worked hard
ON the Committee of Imperial Defense,
which Is the kind Of secret super
cabinet with immense power. But at
the same time he has been indolent
in that wherever real dicision has
been required he has avoided taking 1t
Is long as possible. In other words,
he has been man Of thought, but not
q man Of action. And with his de-
parture, the real basis of National
Government In Britain departs also.
He has been subject to continual
attacks because. for the reasons al
ready given, while he has made good
friends he has also made strong enc
mics. and the friends Of his enemies
have not spared him. And he made
. serious blunder in allowing Sir
Samuel Hoare to resign as foreign
minister. without resigning himself
when the Hoare-Laval peace terms for
ending the Italo-Abyssinian dispute
were rejected by public opinion.
His prestige would never have re-
covered from this blow II it I'd not
been for the events Of last November
and December. eliminating in the
abdication OF King Edward VIII. The
last word has not yet been written
about that tremendous event. the
greatest in English constitutional his
tory since King James II fed the
country and was replaced by William
OF Orange, who married James S
daughter Mary.
The historian Of the future will
Judge the matter, and the part Mr.
Baldwin played, better than we can;
but the impression formed on the
minds OF the English people at the
time-rightly or wrongly-was that
IN this situation. pregnant with the
most dire possibilities, Baldwin kept
his head, behaved with dignity and
showed himself strong man.
His speech explaining the constitu-
tional crisis and its terrible ending was
q masterpiece of Parliamentary ora
tory and a clear explanation. It may
be that he didn't tell the whole story:
but who can blame him? The British
people were worried, startled. shocked
and bewildered. The majority rallied
to Baldwin as the pilot who would see
them safely through these dangerous
waters. Even his weak and pusil-
luminous handling Of the Spanish
situation arising out of the civil war,
which aroused great criticism, has
not overshadowed the reputation he
UullI 4OE QullSeu.
Neville Chamberlain was never ex-
pected to play a great part in British
politics. His more spectacular half
brother was well in the running for the
leadership Of the Conservative party,
and therefore the premiership, 80
years ago. Neville Chamberlain, the
son Of the great Joseph Chamberlain
by his second wife, devoted the best
years Of his life to business, In which
he was successful, and to local politics.
Birmingham Political Caucus.
In the city Of Birmingham he in
herited from his father a strong polit-
ical CAUCUS not .dissimuar to the
Tammany organization Of New York.
In the City Council of Birmingham
he was enterprising and progressive,
continuing his fathers work in i'm
proving the layout Of the town, its
amenities, its public buildings and the
like. During the war he even fathered
the innovation Of q municipal bank.
But when it came to national politics,
which he entered immediately after
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