Evening star., 1939-01-28
Chamberlain
Shifts Cabinet
AS War Step
Inskip Replaced
As Co-ordinutor
Of Defense
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON. Jan 28.-Prime Minister
Chamberlain shook up his cabinet
today to put new drive into the de-
fense and agriculture ministries
both vital to Britain's ability to wage
war-at time of heightening Euro
pean tension.
Admiral of the Fleet Lord Chat
field, one of the key figures in
Britain's vast naval rearmapent
program, was brought into the cab
met as minister for coordination of
defense.
He replaced Sir Thomas Inskip,
who had held the post since March
13, 1886. Sir Thomas took the do
minions portfolio which Malcolm
Macdonald had been holding along
with the secretaryship of colonies.
Morrison Is Moved.
w. S. Morrison, who like Sir
Thomas has been a constant target
of criticism, moved from the ministry
of agriculture to become chancellor
of the Duchy of Lancaster.
Maj. Sir Reginald Hugh Dorman-
Smith, former president of the Ma
tional Farmers Union and retired
farmer, replaced Morrison.
:" The aristocratic Earl Winterton
was denoted from the chancellor
ship of the Duchy of Lancaster to
the post of paymaster general. He
lost his seat in the cabinet and will
receive no pay in his new position.
The earl of Munster was named
parliamentary undersecretary of
war. replacing Lord Strathcona and
Mount Royal.
Hore -Belisha Stays.
Lord Strathcona's departure in
dicated that War Minister Leslie
Hore-Belisha still retained Mr.
Chamberlain's confidence despite
attacks on his alleged delay in
equipping Britain for war.
Mr.. Morrison, whose new post is
a cabinet sinecure. was assigned to
help Lord Chatfield on defense
problems and to answer questions
for him in the House of Commons.
Mr.. Macdonald was relieved of
the dominions portfolio to allow him
to devote full time to the question
of Palestine and other harassing
problems connected with his colonial
task.
Foremost Navy Strategist.
Lord Chatfield, IS. is regarded as
Britain's foremost naval strategist
and the man responsible for the
present efficiency of the royal navy.
He was first sea lord and chief of
naval staff from 1888 to 1898.
The navy called him the man who
never took holiday and after his
retirement from active service last
E&mmer he went to India as chair
man of board of experts to study
the financial and military aspects
of Indian defense problems.
He was raised to the peerage in
the coronation honors list of 1887,
receiving the first peerage conferred
in peacetime on any naval officer
while still in active service
Mr.. Chamberlain, in what may be
hts most important speech since
pected tonight to take a sitter
stand toward Germany and Italy
but to appeal once again for peace
by arbitration.
Returning to his home town of
Birmingham, the 69year-old Brit
ish leader will have an opportunity
to appeal to reason in the rapidly
worsening European situation be-
fore Chancellor Hitler addresses
night.
It will be Mr. Chamberlain's
first opportunity for q public state
ment on the apparent threat to the
democracies resulting from 1nsur-
gent triumphs in Spain and the
bitter French-Italian situation. He
may reserve full comment, however.
for Tuesday when the House Of
Commons, reassembling after its
Christmas recess, plunges into de-
bate on the Spanish and other
foreign issues.
Mobilization Chief Named.
In an effort to speed army recruit
Ing the war office announced the
appointment of Maj. Gen. H. c. B.
Wemyss as director of mobilization.
From various officials the British
people got these assurances about
rearmament:
That new ships for the navy, in
cluding many small ones, would be
launched at the rate of more than
one a week; that aircraft produc-
Cion would be trebled: a report that
so many have joined the civil air
guard-36, ,0O0-that no more appli-
cations would be accepted from
those with previous flying expert
ence.
The admiralty also announced the
restitution of the type of fleet re-
serve which lapesd after the World
War. This was the immediate re-
serve"-a portion of the royal fleet
whose members undertake to come
Up for service any time summoned
by the admiralty in an emergency
when the royal fleet has not been
called into actual service by a royal
proclamation.