Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-17
Bevon Custer Leaves Tories
Barely Able to Contain GIee
Lobortes' Bonnine Of Rebel Briehtens
Conservatives Hopes in Election Year

in Parliament and is well on his
way to being drummed out of
the party altogether. From now
on. unless reprieved, he will be
a long wolf in Commons, an in
dependent representing nothing
but his own district of Ebbw
Vale.
Split Likely to Last
But above all it was the way
it happened that pleases the Con-
servatives. The vote to GUST
Mr.. Bevan was gratifying close
one. 141 to 112, with a number of
abstentions. On this critical
issue. the Labor Party gives every
indication of being split neatly
down the middle and is likely to
remain that way for a long time
Its leader, Clement Attlee, can
hardly feel much confidence in
the future of his own leadership
in the face of yesterdays vote
Others feel even less. One right
wing Labor MP has described the
affair as defeat for Bevan and
catastrophe for AttIee." Today a
leading Socialist newspaper de-
clares bluntly that ''if the Labor
Party is to recover its vigor and
become q dominant political
force within a foreseeabie time
the days Of Mr.. Attlee as leader
are numbered"
Many conservatives are read
ing into this q return to the
era Of the 193os when the Labor
Party went completely to pieces
under the leadership of Ramsay
Donald. They believe that
this particular incident marks
only the beginning of the dis
integration process and that If
it plays its cards right, the Con-
Servative Party can stay in pow
er for years to come.
Some See Gloomy Side
A few theorists, to be sure,
are looking on the gloomy side
of things-pointing out that the
lack of a strong responsible OPP
position is not a good thing in
the long run. But by and large
the politicians are concentrating
for the moment on practical
matters. namely the question of
when the next general election
should be called.
This decision is up to the Con-
sentative leaders. winston
Churchill's term of government
runs until October, 1856. But
the actual timing of the election
is up to the government and the
usual practice is to hold it at
an advantageous moment. usu-
ally about year ahead of the
deadline.
In London today, many peo-
pie claim that the advantageous
moment has arrived. There has
been much speculation that the
general election originally ex-
pected this October would be
held this spring instead.
At this point, however, most
Conservative strategists oppose
the idea.
"It's just too obvious" one Of
them told. I'm the first place
we would be charged with bao
sportsmanship-hitting tn m
when they're down and all that
sort of thing. Besides I expect
that the Socialists will be al
least as badly off next fall as they
are now"
Expulsion From Party Due.
The point seems well taken
Mr.. Bevan's case goes next weel
before the Executive COMMITTEES
Of the Labor Party which is ex.
pected to vote for his expulsion
from the party.
But the verdict won't become
final until it is Endorsed by 8
full party conference next DC.
tober. Meanwhile, Mr.. Bevar
himself can be counted on tx
keep the issue very much alive
When the elections are held
the full extent of the damage
done to the Socialists by the
Bevan affair will become known
II present estimates are correct
the result will be a substantial
victory for the Conservative
Party in Parliament. Even be.
fore Mr.. Bevan's comeuppance
the guess was that Labor woulc
have lost seats-perhaps as many
as 30-in any general election a.
result of the party's singularly
uninspired performance over the
past year.
Today. although the firing Of
Mr.. Bevan may win over a sub.
stantial number of independent,
voters. this by itself win hardly
compensate for the disorganiza.
ton and bitterness created within
party ranks. Indeed. it seem.
probable that the decision Il
drop Mr.. Bevan would never have
been made II Mr.. Attlee had moi
already convinced himself thai
the election was as good as losI
whenever 1t came.
a.