Evening star., 1940-03-26
5-Man Inner Cabinet
Expected 10 Press
British War Effort
Cooperation Of Liberal
And Lubor Leaders
Held Unlikely
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated PRESS.
LONDON, March 26.-Demands
for changes in the British govern
ment for a harder hitting war
against Germany were coupled to-
day with predictions that Liberal
and Labor opposition leaders would
refuse to join the administration Of
Prime Minister Chamberlain.
There were reports that a five
man cabinet would replace the pres
ent nine-man inner group and that
Mr.. Chamberlain would ask Labor
ite Leaders Clement Attlee and
Herbert Morrison and the Liberal
Sir Archibald Sinclair to join a
broadened government, but these
men were believed to prefer re-
naming in position from which
they could criticize.
This smaller group would be
composed of Mr.. Chamberlain. First
Lord of the Admiralty Winston
Churchill, who would be given in
creased authority as spokesman for
land. sea and air forces, and for the
Ministries of Supply and Shipping;
Chancellor Of the Excheouer Sir
John Simon, Lord Halifax and
Lord Prlvy Seal Sir Samuel Hoare.
Scattered nd-the-War Votes.
Scattered "end-the-War' votes by
labor unions and peace orgalliza-
tlons over the week end, which
members of Parliament criticized
but the government left unmuz-
zled. gained little public attention.
Instead, the public was intent on
the Tightening of the blockade of
Germany and upon beating German
propaganda. ...
Peace front" candidates were
given only a negligible vote in re-
cent by-elections, indicating that
public opinion generally favors
pressing the war rather than max
ing peace with Hitler.
In the last such election, at Leeds
March IA, Conservative, backed by
Mr.. Chamberlain. j. c. Hender-
son-defeated peace" candidate,
1882 to 722.
Nevertheless, dissatisfaction with
the pace of the war was expressed
despite government statements of
satisfactory progress and despite Mr..
Chamberlain's announced strategy
Of fighting safety-first war.
The blockade has gaping holes"
the Evening News declared today.
The paper said: Chamberlain. in
one OF his more soothing speeches,
assured the nation that the gaps
were very small, indeed but q study
OF the facts does not support his
optimism"
Propaganda Defeat" Seen.
On the propaganda front, the Eve
ming Standard said that Britain has
suffered persistent and prolonged
defeat - ."
London has not yet understood
that too great strictness may in
f1ict as severe a damage on our
cause as too great a laxity," this
paper said
Lord Smell, Labor leader in the
House of Lords, asserted that Brit
ish news abroad was "hopelessly
smothered and outpaced," continued
the Standard, and was assured by
Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax
that he was giving his personal
attention to this subject"
More protests will no doubt
bring forth more assurances" the
Standard said.
The Evening News criticized Lord
Halifax. stating that "the impor-
tance of the diplomatic battlefield
still is lacking official recognition"
THAT is a mistake" continued the
paper, (which our enemies are not
making. They know that a diplo-
matte victory often is less costly
than triumph in the field. ="
Foreign affairs seem to be but little
more than a sideshow in our war
effort"