Evening star., 1942-01-21
Mr.. Churchill Defers

Mr.. Churchill Defers
Prime Minister Winston Churchills
first temperance before the House
of Commons since his protracted So
journ in the United States and Can
ada was a tribute to his personal
popularity and prestige. At the mere
sight of his dynamic figure, the
House burst into loud cheers, and
during the brief proceedings which
followed, no organized political an
tagonism became apparent.
Still it was a restive and poten-
tally critical assembly that the
forceful war Premier addressed. The
members, without distinction Of
party, were deeply disturbed about
the critical situation in the Far East,
coupled with the showdown in the
Libyan campaign for which, it is
thought, Far Eastern positions had
been neglected below the danger
point. The House wanted to hear
what the government had to say on
these vital matters and whether ade-
quate explanations could be made.
Mr. Churchill clearly was on the
defensive. His brief statement con-
tanned little beyond a vague reassur-
ance on the ultimate outcome and
this was coupled with a request that
the full-dress debate on foreign pol
icy and grand strategy be delayed
until he had had time to review the
situation with his cabinet and con-
suit advisers inaccessible to him
during his absence in America. How
ever, no attempt was made to dodge
the ordeal, for Mr. Churchill agreed
to a three-day debate and further
offered to stake the very existence Of
his government by calling for vote Of
confidence if the debate itself should
disclose any real challenge to its
continuance in office. We Americans
should keep clearly in mind the pro-
found difference between the British
parliamentary system and our own
form of Government A British ad-
miniStration is not elected to fixed
term Of office; it is perpetually de-
pendent upon retaining majority
in the House of Commons and can
be overthrown at any time by an
adverse vote. Indeed, it would prob
ably resign on a close vote, when
confidence was the issue.
For some time past, a growing
volume Of criticism against the pres
ent cabinet has become evident, both
in and out of Parliament. This does
not seem to involve Mr.. Churchill
himself The overwhelming weight
of evidence indicates that the vast
majority of Englishmen believe him
to be the ideal war leader, for whom
there is no adequate substitute. Any
cabinet change which might occur,
therefore, presumably would retain
him as Prime Minister. But criticism
of the present cabinet is fairly wide
spread. Some of this is general in
character, we'll explained in a cur
rent editorial in the London Times
that wartime cabinets usually suffer
rapid wear and tear Other criti-
cisms are directed specifically against
this or that cabinet member. The
general impression is that both a re-.
shuff1ing of existing personnel and
the entrance Of new blood are likely
in the near future. Incidentally, it
should be remembered that the pres
ent cabinet is a coalition government,
representing Labor and Liberal ele-
ments alongside the Conservative
parliamentary majority to which Mr..
Churchill personally belongs.
The coming debate probably will
cover a wider range than contro-
versies over grand strategy such as
Tripoli versus Singapore. 1t also
will consider the thorny question of
the place to be assigned the domin-
ions in both imperial policy and
strategy. Parliament is acutely con-
scious Of the strong criticisms voiced,
especially in Australia and New
Zealand, but uttered in the other
dominions as well. Having become
legally equal partners in common
wealth of nations, the dominions are
tending to demand bigger say in
the political and strategical decisions.
on which they, equally with Britain.
have staked their very existence and
to which they are giving their utmost.
Here is a truly basic issue which.
must be faced
Orientals now are being fed the
idea bv the German and japanese