Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-09-27
British Papers
See New Year
Election Call

LONDON, Sept. q (AP).-
Informed political circles spec
ulated today that Prime Min
lister Harold Macmillan may
call a general election soon
after the new year.
This was inspired, In part,
by a statement Of Ian Macleod,
Conservative Party chairman,
who said last night the election
will be in 1864, land not
before"
1t must be held before Octo-
Der, 1864, but Mr.. Macmillan
can call it any time he thinks
advantageous.
= Lord Beaverbrook's Evening
Standard suggested this after
! noon that the Prime Minister
may have two dates in mind.
They are January 10, when he
will have completed seven
years in the job, and February
10 when he will be 10.
In Week End SecIusiOn
The Prime Minister, mean
while, has retired for the week
end to his official residence at
Chequers where he was re-
ceiving Gov. Nelson Rockefeller
of New York on a private visit.
He may be using these Eng
hsh autumn days to reach
what he calls a decision as to
"the right thing to CO." That
includes consideration of his
own retirement from the scene.
While the Standard thought
in terms of January or Feb
ruary, the big circulation
Evening News pumped for jan
uary. Political writer John
Dickinson said Mr.. Macmillan
is keeping the next four days
free of political appointments.
He suggested the Prime Min
lister might consider retiring in
January so that the Conserva-
tive Party could gear for its
first test at the ballot since
1t won a 100-seat majority in
1859.
Mr.. Macmillan told the ma
ton in an emotional television
interview last night that his
decision will take no account
of the Profumo scandal.
st shall have only one thing
in mind" he said. what is best
for the country and the Con-
sentative Party"
With argument still raging
over Lord Denning's report
and its accusation that Mr..
Macmillan failed to meet his
responsibility in the Profumo
affair, the Prime Minister left
for a week end in the country.
Parliament Debate First
Mr.. Macmillan's decision
probably will not be known
until November, after Parlia-
ment has debated the Denning
report. An important factor
will be the reception Mr.. Mac
milan and his key ministers
receive at next months Con-
sentative Party conference.
Mr.. Macmillan has no I'M
challenged successor. The chief
favorites are Deputy Prime
Minister Richard A. Butler,
whom Mr.. Macmillan nosed out
when Anthony Eden retired,
Chancellor of the Exchequer
Reginald Maulding and Lord
Hailsham, the Science Min
lister.
In his television interview
Mr.. Macmillan said he had
failed to act promptly against
former War Minister John Pro-
fumo because he had been de-
ceived," Mr.. Macmillan said.
But I'd rather carry the bur-
den ] now have TO carry than
to have ruined an innocent man
and to have carried that guilt. |
There is no machinery but |
common sense for finding out |
when. a man is telling the
truth"
Mr.. Macmillan also said he
did not believe the scandal
would cause his party's defeat |
in the next election.
Harold Wilson, leader Of the |
opposition Labor Party, in a
separate television appearance |
repeated his charge that Mr.. |
Macmillan's conduct OF govern
ment had contributed TO a let
down In public morality. He
said Mr.. Macmillan should be |
held responsible for a gap in |
Britain's security system which |
he said the Profumo affair had |
exposed. ]