Evening star., 1942-06-25
Churchill Likely to Win
Vote of Confidence
BY WILLIAM II. STONEMAN.
Foreign Correspondent Of The Star and
Chicago Daily News.

LONDON, June 25.-It is now
clear that the political storm raised
by the British defeat in Libya will
not be quelled by mere words and
that all of Prime Minister Church.
ills parliamentary skill will be
required to save him from serious
reverse when he faces the House of
Commons on his return from WASH
ington.
There appears to be considerable
support from various political
parties for a motion of mo conf
dence in the central direction OF
the war" drawn up by Sir Wardlaw-
Milne, Conservative NJ P. While
that motion does not call for vote
of no confidence in the govern
ment, it does question Mr.. Church
ills capacity as Minister OF De-
fense and it so involves his prestige
that he, in turn. may be forced to
ask for vote of confidence.
Vote Of Confidence Expected.
Because of the inescapable fact
that Mr. Churchill. politically speak
ing. is a heavyweight among a large
collection of middleweights and be-
cause of the power of the various
party machines now supporting the
government. it is assumed that he
will get his vote of confidence If he
calls for a showdown. Most M. P.s,
however indignant they may be
about the conduct of the war TO
date, are unable either to discern
an adequate successor to Mr..
Churchill, or to shatter the bonds
of loyalty which tie them to the
present government. But there will,
nevertheless. be much outSpoken
criticism of the way in which things
have been run to date and Mr..
Churchill will have to prove that
he himself was not guilty Of per-
sonal incompetence as minister OF
defense.
Mr.. Churchill's position, at the
moment he faces Commons. will also
be influenced to a considerable ex-
tent by the military situation. An
other British reverse in the battle
for Egypt, which was reported this
morning TO be getting under way,
would add fuel to the country's in
digna ton and might even result in
a popular demand for new deal.
Even though such reverse be
avoided at this time. the loss OF
Malta, which some critics now seem
to regard as practically inevitable
would again put the government in
the dock. One definite thing is that
Mr.. Churchill is in for a very bad
summer.
AS things stand now the most that
Mr.. Churchill's personal antagonists
and critics hope for, as result OF
this crisis. is his retirement from the
post of Minister of Defense. That,
they feel. would be the first step
toward his displacement as Prime
Minister. Yet, the best suggestion
that this handful of people have
been able to generate regarding his
successor is David Lloyd George.
Though ancient. they say L. G. could
carry on for at least six months and
do some necessary house cleaning.
The fact is that these people have
very little on the ball and are so
lacking in personal prestige in the
country that their very opposition
to the Prime Minister at this time
may help him.
Clear-Cut Probe Asked.
More sober critics of the way
In which the war has been run
are anxious not to damage Mr..
Churchill personally and would re-
gard it as national calamity If he
were displaced. What they insist
on, however, is a clear re-examina-
tinn of the wars conduct and d
clear-cut explanation of why British
troops entered the Libyan battle,
after nearly three years of war, with
inferior equipment. If the explana-
tion is not adequate, then they may
insist on a change in the defense
ministry.
The danger, as they see it, is that
the government may take advantage
of its parliamentary organization to
whip critical NJ. P.s into line and
to prevent thorough-going in
quest on the situation. All British
newspapers and most enlightened
M. P.s insist that certain deficien-
cies must be examined and made
good if further catastrophes-in-
cluding miscarriage of an eventual
invasion of the continent-are to be
prevented
(Copyrisht, 1912, by Chicago Daily NevsD