Evening star., 1947-09-30
More British Chances
Due as Cripps Takes
Job as Economic Gar
BY the Associated Press

LONDON, Sept. Vege-
tarian Sir Stafford Cripps took
over today as Britain's economic
czar. Informed sources said it
was only the first installment of
sweeping changes in the Labor
cabinet.
There. was general agreement
among Britons that Grips appoint
nzent as Minister of Economic At
fairs to lead this dollar-short coun-
tty's fight for economic recovery at
home and abroad was a step in the
right direction.
The choice of '31-year-old James
Harold Wilson, the So-called boy
wonder" of the Labor government,
as, president of the Board of Trade
to>succeed Cripps was termed indie
ative of the governments decision
to introduce new blood into the
labor regime.
Bringing in Younger Men. .
The resignation of Arthur Green
wood, a veteran Labor politician who
had been minister without portfolio,
was considered to be a further DEM
onstration of Prime Minister Attlee's
determination to bring in younger
men to fight the economic battle of
Britain.
Grips, whose new appointment
Was announced last night, buckled
down Immediately to the tasks con-
fronting him.
He scheduled a meeting with
union leaders to discuss the British
export drive-ordered in an effort
to get more dollars-and means of
meeting the proposed targets.
Informed government sources said
the ~ further cabinet changes
expected would not affect Hugh
DAlton, the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, or Foreign Secretary Bev-
in, who with Cripps and Herbert
Morrison, the Deputy Prime Min
lister, make up the big four of the
Attlee cabinet.
mfr. Attlee's official announce
nent said merely that "other
changes in the government are
under consideration and will be
announced later"
The names most frequently men,
toned in speculation concerning ad-
ditional cabinet shifts included those
of Defense Minister A. V. Alexander,
Transport Minister Alfred Barnes,
Supply Minister John Wilmot and
Fuel Minister Emanuel Shinwell.
Mr.. Shinwell, especially, has been
under a heavy barrage of criticism
from inside and outside the party.
The British press, in commenting
on the changes, generally followed
their party leanings, with the Times
Of London remarking dryly that
new wine is needed, not only new
bottles
Grips new post was one created
especially to centralize IN one man
broad powers for dealing with Brit
aims economic crisis, specifically
for "a much closer integration of
internal and external economic
policy"
Mr.. Attlee will head temporarily
a new ministerial committee on eco
laon1ir planning. This Committee,
the Prime Minister said. will have
scope over "the major.issues of both
internal and external economic
policy"
Wilson Is Cripps' No. 1 Aide.
The new economic boss is a So
year-old lawyer and trade expert,
whose PREVIOUS, job-equiyalent to
Secfetafyssof Commerce in the
United States-called for him to
work on whiting down imports
and increase exports.
Mr.. Wilson, as secretary for over
seas trade, had been Cripps No. l
assistant. 1t was he who tried hard
last summer, and failed, to negotiate
a commercial agreement with Rus
sia. He presumably will carry on
along the lines set by Cripps to cut
imports by s912,0 100000 a year and
raise exports 100 per cent of prewar
by the end of 1948.
The goal is to cancel Britain's
current annual adverse trade bal
ance of $2,400,000, 900. The economic
crisis already has forced Britain to
suspend convertibility of sterling.
curtail purchases of necessities
abroad and to impose a drab. belt
Tightening austerity on the British
people.