Evening star., 1951-09-21
Britoin's Election

The results of BritainS general election on
October Is will carry significant implications to
all the world
The first impact, of course, will be on Britain
itself. For more than six years the Labor Party
headed by Prime Minister Attlee has governed
the country within a framework of relatively
moderate socialist doctrine. State controls and
social services through government were initiated
and expanded to embrace naturalization of
industries, redistribution of wealth and public
custody of the health and conscience of the
British people Accompanied by the normal
demands of rehabilitation after a major war,
this was a program high in cost. Austerity
became the atmosphere of life in Britain.
An interim test at the polls in February, 1850,
indicated that Britain was still willing to live
by this pattern, but the margin of this political
confirmation was so narrow that parliamentary
maneuvering became extremely difficult and
there has been valid doubt that majority public
support has followed each step in Labor govern
ment policy since that dates
Meanwhile, another influence of great weight
has come to bear upon Britain's fortunes and
upon her conduct namely, the intensif1cation
of the cold war with Communism. At almost
the moment that her program of auSterty sup
plemented by concentrated efforts at increasing
her productivity and by substantial American
aid seemed to be turning the tide toward i'm
proved economic health Britain found herself
committed to war in Korea and to an expensive
blueprint of rearmament for her own defense
and that of Western Europe The combination
OF the costly requirements of socialism with the
comparably costly ones of preparedness for war
brings Britain once more face to face with
economic crisis.
In the light of these circumstances, the
decision to call for a general election seems
StateSmanllke action on level above partisan
politics.
The Labor Party, except for the faction now
dominated by Aneurin Bevan, has chosen to
accept the double responsibility of continuing
Its social experment-although perhaps on a
retrenched Scale-Whie preparing the nation for
defense. If it prevails in the October Is voting,
the British people will thus have indicated their
Willingness to assume the burden. Such mani
festatlon by democratic procedure will undoubt-
edly carry meaning to all other countries,
including our own, where similar social forces
are reflected in Government conduct.
If, however Britain turns next month to the
Conservative Party for its leadership in govern
ment the meaning will be equally clear For the
Conservative Party, the only important oppos-
ton, has made abundantly plain It's antagonism
to the PHILOSOPHERS and practices of socialism.
II 1t is to lead the next British government it
can rightly interpret its selection to mean the
voters wish to halt, at least temporarily, the
social experimentation; that they wish to return
perhaps to the more traditional British pattern
OF free enterprise and private responsibility
Such choice would likewise have its significance
outside Britain.
Already, in fact both Mr. Attlee and Lord
Woolton, chairman of the Conservative Party,
have laid the groundwork in precampaign state
ments for confining the battle for votes to this
single domestic ISSUE
For the Communist part of the world there
will be little comfort in victory for either of the
two major parties. Not only has the Conservative
Party supported the present government in its
tightening alliance with the Western community
and in It's commitment to combat Communism
across the globe, it has through the expressions
and lifetime behavior of such leaders as
Winston Churchill and Anthony Eden displayed
readiness and resolution to subordinate all
other causes to this one
There seems no reason, therefore for the
West to look apprehensively toward October Is.
There are adequate reasons however to await
with great interest the British decision