Evening star., 1942-06-03
Defends Churchill
As Liberal Leader
Writer Differs With CoIumnist
On Prime Minister'S Record
! And Present Achievement
To the Editor OF The Star:

| Anu IIeSent ACnIeNement
To the Editor OF The Star;
1t would be interesting to know the
| sources Of Constantine Browns private
| reports from London of British parlia-
mentarians who have been quietly look
| ing around for q successor to Mr..
| Churchill"
Rumors which have the effect OF shak-
ing confidence in the leaders Of the
United Nations are not calculated to as
sist their cooperative war effort.
The most popular minister who ever
| lived can never have had 100 per cent
OF the people on his side at any mo-
ment. 1t must be something like a rec
ord to obtain 30 per cent support in a
| popular poll, and it is difficult to think
OF any one who has surpassed Winston
Churchills achievement in that respect.
When have there never been few dis
sentients? And time always flows against
the minister in power
But what evidence Is there today of
anything affecting the Prime Minister'S
popularity other than these normal phe-
nomena? Mr.. Brown says: THE bulk
OF the Laborites are growing restless"
I suggest that is wholly Inaccurate The
recent overwhelming vote of the Labor
party in favor of continued collabora-
ton with the Churchill government iself
dlspoSes OF that. And Labor is repre-
sented strongly in key positions in the
cabinet hu S1lrh ma
Prime Minister; Alexander, First Lord
OF the Admiralty; Dalton. president of
the Board OF Trade; Bevin, Minister OF
Labor, and CrippS, leader of the Com
mons, all Of whom have complete con-
fidence in Mr.. Churchill.
Mr.. Brown speaks of Mr.. Churchills
"1nveterate toryism." / suggest Mr..
Brown turn up his history books Mr..
Churchill is not, and never has been,
tory, 'inveterate" or other. While yet
In his twenties he broke with the politi-
cal inheritance Of his youth and joined
the Liberal party whose motive power
was then the dynamic extremist, LLOYD
George. Mr.. Churchill's main construc-
tive political work was accomplished
under the left wing of the Liberal fold,
an environment more radical than the
Labor party into which in large part
it has evolved. He was chiefly respon-
sible for setting up the British system
Of labor exchanges and unemployment
relief, perhaps the most far-reaching
measure of social reform in British an
nails. He was actively associated with the
passing Of the Parliament act which
took away practically all the powers Of
the House of Lords, reducing it to a
mere debating society and thereby set
ting up in England, alone of all great
states, the almost dangerously demo-
cratic system of virtual single-chamber
government. He has supported whole
heartedly practically all the reforms of
the past 30 years in education. medical
treatment for the poor, insurance, old
age pensions and other social services
He has been England's most potent ad-
vocate Of the League of Nations As
one who has all his life, when not in
power, earned his living as a working
journalist he has little sympathy with
VIC SdPiNdiiot VI iSiIllCl WIFI
his fellow worker by brain or by hand
Further, Mr.. Brown says that "in the
two years Churchill has held the reins
nothing has gone right except the de-
fense of Britain herself" Even If that
were true, 1t would be enough to Justify
claim that Mr. Churchill has been
triumphantly successful Except the
defense of Britain herself" Some ex-
ception That defense of Britain was
one Of the greatest and it is to be hoped,
most decisive, victories in history 1t
meant the salvation of the whole world;
for there is no doubt that If England.
following France, had gone under in
1910 the mastery of the world would have
quickly passed to the Nazis.
To say that 'it was Mr. Churchill and
not Sir Stafford Cripps whose prestige
was dwarfed by the failure of the New
Delhi negotiations" is remarkable
statement. The British people know
something Of the Indian problem and
Of the efforts made by their ablest and
most single minded leaders for many
years to solve 1t and it is certain that
the prestige Of Mr.. Churchill has not
suffered one iota in the minds of those
who know anything about 1t. James
Truslow Adams, the distinguished Amer
ican historian, has said of the Indian
problem: "It is of enormous complexity
- the most complicated government
and ethical problem that has ever been
offered to any people to solve. The solv-
ing of it calls for hearty sympathy
rather than criticism" 1t is unjust to
accuse Mr.. Churchill Of obstruction to
India's desire for self-government. He
carefully chose his very able old friend,
Mr.. Amery, as secretary of state Tor
India. Mr.. Amery, inspired by Mr.
Churchill, long before Sir Stafford Cripps
urged India's leaders to set about work.
ing out their own scheme of self govern
ment on any model they cared to choose
| subject only to one condition-that 1t
did not infringe the rights of Indian
| minorities without their consent. The
meaning of Mr.. Churchills statement
that India did not fall within the scope
Of the Atlantic Charter was that India
had already been made a more precise
offer than the vague generalities of the
charter which were to apply to all the
world.
Mr.. Brown suggests that as Prime Min
lister "Sir Stafford will grow with the
needs of the war" because he is the son
of distinguished man-a curious non
sequitur. "Sir Stafford Grips" he says,
like William Pitt, is the son of famous