THE LABOUR CABINET

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIV, Issue 10027, 26 January 1924, Page 5

THE LABOUR CABINET

A CLEVERLY PICKED TEAM

FURTHER PROGRESS.

DAYLIGHT-SAVING CHANGES. > . _ (Per Press Association, Copyright). \ LONDON, January 25. The , diplomatic correspondent of the '‘Daily Telegraph” says that Mr Ramsay. MacDonald has established a notable departure from tradition by starting work at the Foreign Office before 10 o’clock. For generations the working hours there,.have been even shorter than in other Government Departments,-start-ing at least an hour, later, though the higher officials were frequently found working late in,the evening. Mr MacDonald is determined to spare neither himself nor his subordinates, holding that abnormal times require abnormal efforts.

CONVERTS TO LABOUR. ' THE PEERS’ POSITION. LONDON. January 24. Enquiries made in Cabinet circles indicate that Lord Chelmsford and Lord Pannoor were invited to join the Ministry because a certain number of peers was essential for carrying on the Bang’s Government. Neither’ could be regarded dS a convert to the Labour movement. Both had received assurances that Mr policy would not endanger the stability of Britain or the Empire, and, therefore, they considered it their duty to render all possible assistance to carry on the Government. ~ „ ~ It is claimed that Mr MacDonald has filled 'the Cabinet posts with remarkable cleverness. No one has been given Ministerial authority in a direct tion in whet ho had alreadyVonunciatod extremist’ views. '

ONE MAN, ONE JOB. / MINISTERS AND UNIONS. LONDON/ January 25. Aft Ministers have resigned their Trade Union positions, including Mr J H Thomas, Mr V. Hartshorn, Mr S.‘ Walsh, Mr J. R. Clynes, Mr E. Shinwell, and Miss Margaret Bondfield. ' NO RASH EX PER! Pd ENTS, BUSINESS MEN’S POSITION. LONDON, January 25. Dr Walter Leaf, presiding at a meeting of the London County and Westminster Bank, said that the political situation wasvpiquant and interesting, but from the business men s point of view not wholly satisfactory. The election delivered them probably' f&r. years from the rash economic experiments, whetner in the form of inflation, protection or the capital levy. There was no panic, but some nervousness among amateur investors, who should remember that it was easy to lose in American investments quite as much ns through any . capital levy. . . , « The country was recovering with an the Steadiness that could reasonably be hope£ for. It only needed patience, peace and work.

THE FOREIGN POLICY. 'A'GOOD BEGINNING. TURKISH CONFIDENCE. (Received 26, 12.25 p.nO ' LONDON, January 20. Mr MacD oh aid’s Cabinet is well received by the Constantinople Press, according to a Constantinople correspondent, although it is general y thought not likely to have a long lile. Some anxiety is expressed in certain quarters lest the expected recognition of Russia may. result in a weakening of the friendship between Russia and Turkey. But Mr MacDonald made an excellent impression upon' the Turks during his recent visit, and the'' new Government is proclaimed as on the whole more likely to pursue a friendly policy toward Turkey than the Conservtives or the Liberals. BUOYANCY IN BRITAIN. FINANCIERS CONFIDENT. (Received This Day, Noon.) • LONDON, January 25, Hie Stock Exchange is strong under t|i© lead" of gilt-edged securities .and the growing confidence in the political outlook, together with the speeches of chairmen at meetings and leading banks. Buying is emanating from London and the provinces. Consuls are at 561, war l° an JO®.

RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA. t BRITISH AMBASSADOR. LONDON, January 24. It is definitely stated that should the Russian Government be accorded recognition by Britain, the appointment of Mr James O’Grady, M.P., as Ambassador to Moscow will be announced immediately. . It is the opinion in Ministerial cirfcies that diplomatic recognition of Russia is a foregone conclusion as a result of the general election and the attitude of manufacturers in general. [Mr O’Grady is 57 years of age. He was returned as Labour member for East Leeds in 1906 and has sat for South-East Leeds since 1918. He is secretary of the National Federation of General Workers. From 1915 to 1918 he was an officer with British, French, American and Russian troops in various theatres of war. He was sent by the Government on a special mission to Russia in the .spring of 1917, also to meet a representative of the Russian Soviet Government to negotiate the exchange of British pris-

oners of war, and the repatriation of all British civilians at that time (1919) in Soviet Russia. In a straight-out contest at the last general election, Mr O’.Gr'ady’s majority was 5100 over the Liberal candidate, so if Mr Arthur Henderson (Secretary of State for Home Affairs) should contest the seat at a, by-election, the chances are that he would he elected.] -

A N.Z. LABOUR TRIBUTE. FROSI MR HOLLAND. WESTPORT. January 25. Mr H. E. Holland, M.P., was loudly cheered yesterday when, in speaking at the local watersiders’ picnic he referred to the British Labour Party’s accession to office as one of the greatest events in the history of the British Empire. In, the war atmosphere of the election .of 1918, he said. Messrs MacDonald, Snowden, Trevelyan, and Jowett had suffered defeat. The whole fury of the storm of slander was then directed against them, and was met with confidence and cheerfulness. Today the man most slandered of all was the Prime .Minister of Britain, with the others for his trusted colleagues, as\the leaders of the only party witli a policy capable of extricating the Empire from the economic slough into which post-war conditions had nlunged

it, Mr MacDonald had some time ago declared that the principal portfolios in a Labour Cabinet would be those of Agriculture and Foreign Affairs. Consistent with that declaration, he himself had taken the portfolio of Foreign Affairs. The Labour Party’s manifesto, issued just prior to the December elections, provided for dealing with the problem of unemployment oil a basis of national schemes of productive work; the adequate maintenance of workers where work was not provided ; the development of agricultural land; the reform of international relationships making for peace'; a capital levy to reduce the national debt, thus making possible the abolition of food duties; an amusements tax: a corporations profit -tax, as well as a scheme to provide money for the necessary social public ownership and control of mines, railway service and electrical power stations : education, care and protection of children; provision for widowed mothers, the aged and the invalided, etc. It remained to he seen whether the present Parliament would permit these great changes to he made, hut ‘one thing was certain —especially if. it should he found possible to. achieve adult suffrage in the meantime —at the next election the. British people would give the Labour Party a majority over the two other parties