Evening star., 1947-12-07
By Raymond P. Brondt

which has been in power since the
landslide of July, 1945. One is a
split within the Labor Party, the
other is loss of public and parlia-
mentary support because OF the
hardships and restrictions forced by
the economic crisis.
There Is no likelihood Of an emer-
gency coalition government OF So
cialists and Conservatives until after
a general election and then only If
the two parties were about equally
divided in House Of Commons repre-
sentation. The Tories, cockily con-
: fldent since their widespread vic
tories in the recent municipal elec-
tions, will join in no all-party ma
tional government as long as the
Socialists have their present over
whelming majority of about 200 in
the House of Commons.
Conservatives Prefer to Wait
Despite their public demands for
general election and their claim
that the Attlee government no longer
has public support, the Conserva-
tives are privately not eager for
general election. They would pre-
fer to have the Socialists responsible
during the coming grim winter.
They believe they will win more seats
after the socialistic performances
fall short of the socialistic promises.
Furthermore, they have no detailed
program Of their own other than
they could do better administrative
lob than the Laborites.
1t is an oversimpliflcation to COM
pare the Attlee government with
the early days Of the Rooseveltian
New Deal, yet this gives general
idea OF the political and economic
situation here today.
Prime Minister Clement Attlee Is
no Franklin D. Roosevelt IN color,
imagination or popular appeal and
the Socialist program Of his trade
union and intellectual cabinet mem
bers is far more to the left IN It's
comprehensiveness than RooSeVelts
improvised plans to lit industry
and agriculture out of the 1929-1932
depression. Former Prime Minister
Winston Churchill is more daring
and persuasive than any Republican
leader Of the 193Os but his economics
are those of a politically smart
Herbert Hoover
Some Possible Leaders
Mr.. Churchill. great war leader
that he was, is not as popular IN
Britain as in the United States.
While giving him credit for his mag
nificent efforts in the Battle OF
Britain and in his astute negotia-
tions with Roosevelt, Stain and
other Allied leaders, many conserva-
tive businessmen and financlers
would not like to see him head OF a
peacetime government. Should the
Conservatives win in general cleo
ton. he would be the logical man,
despite his 73 years, to head the
new government. Anthony Eden,
the Conservative Foreign Minister
in the coalition government, is more
Informed on international than on
domestic problems. Sir John An
derson, M. P. for the Scottish uni
yersities and former Chancellor OF
the EXchequer, is another possible
Conservative Prime Minister. There
are several likely candidates IN the
House of Lords. There is q saying,
however. that no Peer can be Prime
Minister.
The Conservatives greatest hope
and most popular drawing cards are
their younger M. P.'s such as Rich
ard Law, 46 years old, son OF for
mer Prime Minister Bonar Law;
Oliver Lyttelton, 54, wartime Min
lister of Production, and the Mar
guess of Salisbury, 54, opposition
leader Ill q 81 oiAASOAA ~A S>~>
Victorian Prime Minister.
Elections Shocked Laborltes
The man largely responsible for
the victories in the municipal elec-
tions is Lord Woolton, "a years old,
businessman and wartime Food
Minister, who has comprehensive
plans to organize the party and
arouse the electorate. For practical
purposes he has appealed for Con-
servative political fund of million
pounds (s4,O00,000) to prepare for
and use in the next general cleo
ton. Even if he doesn't raise the
whole amount, the recent successes
will bring in ample funds. Money
wisely spent gets results in any po-
litical campaign, British or Ameri-
can.
The municipal elections for city
and town councilmen were a shock
to the Laborites, who, OF course,
tried to say that they were not rep
resentative of national sentiment,
particularly on the socialization oil
basic industries program. Inc
Tories were elated and naturally
claimed a political landslide. The
victories, the Tories exulted, proved
the voters disgust over Socialist
waste. mismanagement and ill-plan-
ming. Each side interpreted the re-
turns to its own advantage.
Analysis indicates that the La
borites got a real setback, due to
party conplacency, the irritations
over the sacrifices demanded by the
crisis and plain political inepitude'
ANALYSIS does not indicate that the
Tories would win a majority in a
general election. Both organizations
will step up their propaganda as a
result of these local elections. the
Conservatives will be handicapped
hv their lack Of detailed alterna-
tive procram to the Socialists; the