Evening star., 1950-02-27
Both Parties in u. 5
Can Learn a Lesson
From British Election
6. O. P. Is Encouraged,
Democrats to Continue
Denying Socialist Aim
By David Laurence

lessons to be learned by the
political parties of the United
States from a study of the British
election. Anyone who says that the
behavior of democracy of nearly
80 million voters means nothing
to a sister democracy, because the
local circumstances are different,
ignores the basic common denomi-
nators of politics today-economic
content or discomfort and fear as
opposed to a sense of national
security.
The Republicans generally in
this country are entitled to derive
much encouragement from the
fact that the Socialist government
in Britain suffered severe set
back. But, by the same token, a
minority of the ultra -conserva-
tives in the Republican Party here
must now recognize that Winston
Churchill and his followers did q
"me-too" piece of campaigning
which assured the populace that
welfare legislation would not be
disturbed but made even more ef-
fective.
The British people reacted very
much as did the voters in Amer
lea in the November, 1916, con-
gressional elections, when the ad-
verse effects of meat control ano
other restrictions brought Repub-
lican victory. In New Zealand
Australia and in Britain. resent
ment against the retention of war
time controls now has made itself
felt by protest vote at the polls
Tired of Austerity Curbs.
The people of England have
grown weary of "austerity" con-
trolls and, while socialized medi-
cine and government ownership
of transportation and coal and
the promise of naturalization of
iron and steel were urged as of
ultimate advantage to the public
the voters are far more interested
in direct benefits and immediate
effects.
The British electorate doesn't
like the signs of trouble on the
international front and vaguely
grasped at the Churchill speeches
as perhaps promising "do-some-
thing" rather than a "do-nothing
approach. Fear of war based or
inept handling of the issue is q
basic emotion in politics and car
swing elections even when every
other factor favors a party ir
power.
In Britain. economic discomfort
and fear of war both worked
against the existing regime. A
welfare state" is popular il
everything else is satisfactory
The voters want welfare benefits
In the abstract, but they want
concrete relief in better incomes
and a better distribution of food
and fuel. The Australian elector-
ate resented the way rationing
was done and SO did the British.
The Conservatives, on the other
hand, promised tax reductions and
more food.
-. Good Political Palaver.
In America. the setback given to
q Labor government in England
which was bent on Matchmaking
meat distribution, warehousing
sugar, cement, water, electricity
iron and steel will be regarded as
q defeat for socialism and hence
the Republican attempt to fasten
the socialism label on the Demo-
cratic Party in the North will take
on renewed vigor.
Conversely, the Democratic
chiefs will become more vehement
In their denials of socialistic aims
What the Democratic leaders
ought to learn from the British
result is that social welfare may
be good political palaver but not
at the expense of national SOL
vency or the sitting of individual
incentive due to high taxes.
American businessmen are
rightly deriving much encourage
ment from the British election
for it tells them that. however
tedious may be the wait, the worn
in modern politics eventually does
turn-and that the Gins" art
driven from power in due time as
an electorate grows weary of toe
much tampering with the liberty
and initiative of the individual
Government is still most popular
when 1t is the servant rather than
the master of the people.
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