BEHIND THE CABLES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 143, 18 June 1936, Page 6

BEHIND THE CABLES.

ENGLAND WEEK BY WEEK.

(By J. A. MULGAN and G. S. COX.)

LONDON, May 30.

Wednesday saw another Derby conic and go oil Epsom Downs. First mil in 1780, and held regularly ever since, it remains in essence what it was at the start—a race between the horses of a number of the "gentry," over a course 011 the Downs at Epsom, and watched by any onlookers who happened to be tiieie. It was originally run for a wager between the competitors, each owner putting down an entrance fee, and the total being divided amongst the leading horses. So to-day, though a. minimum stake is guaranteed, the value of the (iist prize \arie<S according to the number of entries;, and is usually something between £0000 and £ 10.000.

Though Epsom itself has become practically a suburb of London, the meeting still has its old-time informality. For the gigantic crowd which it attracts there is, by New Zealand standards, a totally inadequate amount of stand accommodation. But half the people there have -not gone really for the racing, for the Derby is both a race meeting and a huge impromptu Fun Fair, with roundabouts wheezing and chanting, side-shows of every kind, and a huge mass of black, endlessly moving humanity filling the centre of the course, walking to and fro across the track between races, shouting, talking, shoving, eating. The "gentry" have, of course, changed from being the landed aristocracy, and now include the millionaire business men, and even Indian princes, of whom the Aga Khan, owner of this years winner, Mahmoud, is as well known as any Englishman. The Queen Mary. 011 the same day as the Derby the Queen Mary set off from Southampton on her maiden voyage to Cherbourg and the U.S.A. Interest is now concentrated on seeing whether she will regain the "blue riband" of the Atlantic, for the fastest crossing. The "blue riband, which is now represented by an elaborate trophy presented by an English M.P., is awarded foi voyages over a certain course. The finishing (or starting) point 011 the American side is the Ambrose Lightship, off New York Harbour. On this side the corresponding point is either Bishop Rock, off the Scilly Isles, or Fastnet Light, off Cork, while for ships sailing from the Mediterranean it is the Cape Tarifa Lighthouse, near Gibraltar. The Scilly route is the one used by the Queen Mary, and is about .'iooo miles long. Now that the Queen Mary is built and 011 her way there is a fairly widespread realisation that while she is a magnificent ship she is largely a luxury product, and the money and work which went into her might well have gone into something more urgently needed, such as the reconstruction of the distressed areas, or the rebuilding of the slums. She is undoubtedly a "floating palace," but it is not at all clear that Britain has reached the stage when she can afford to build palaces. This type of criticism, though seldom outspoken, finds its expression in numerous funny stories about the elaborate fittings and gigantic size of the vessel. Amongst the best of these is a storv told bv Hanincr SwaiTer, one of the leading columnists of Fleet Street. One traveller asked another on the Queen Mary which was the way to the sea. The other replied, "Walk to the end of the pier" —a dig at the elaborateness which is to be found 011 most piers and on the Queen Mary. Colonial Secretary. Mr. Thomas has gone, and lias rapidly slipped from the public mind. His popularity, never very strong with the masses since he left the Labour party in 1031 to join the National Government, has definitely waned. Whether it will return in the future depends largely 011 his own speeches in the House of Commons and his constituency in the next few weeks. About Mr. Ormsby-Gore, who becomes Colonial Secretary, the chief points arc that he is a. Conservative through and through, and so the "National" colour fades a little more from the Government; that he is broad-minded, has shown a healthy antagonism to Fascism, and has travelled enough in Ceylon and the East to be able to bring a lively knowledge to the problems of his ofliee. He is, like Mr. Duff Cooper and Mr. Eden, another of Mr. Baldwin's "young men." Political Developments. Some time ago we wrote of dissensions within the Cabinet that were likely to lead to a revolt against Mr. Baldwin's leadership. Lately it has been plain that large sections of the Government's majority in the House of Commons are no longer amenable to party discipline and that the revolt is not merely a matter of personalities but of policy. Twice 111 the last fortnight the Government has suffered a virtual defeat at the hands of backbench Conservative members —once on a Coal Bill where the owners' interests forced asi amendment which postpones all immediate action, and again on the" Tithe Bill, where a similar postponement was carried in the interests of the Church. Those who were in the House on these two occasions saw the rare spectacle of Cabinet Ministers being attacked by their own supporters from the benches behind them. The rapid deterioration of the Government's prestige during the last few months is curious and unexpected. It was returned with a large working majority in November. In December came the Hoare-Laval plan and the resignation of a Foreign Minister. In February, Sir Austen Chamberlain's personal and outspoken attacks caused a stir. In March Lord Eustace Percy resigned from the Cabinet. In April, the Government was defeated three times and Mr. Winston Churchill made his two famous speeches. In May we had the Foreign Affairs Committee violently demanding a clear statement of policy and being refused it. Mr. Baldwin is at his best in such a situation. It is an education in politics to watch him in the House during these troubled days. Unmoved and smiling, he listens to fierce denunciations from the Labour party or the no less violent attacks of his own "Tory backwoodsmen." When he rises to reply, he speaks very quietly, with an air of wondering what all the trouble is about, and usually infuriates his opponents the more by committting himself and his Government to nothing. However powerful his enemies are, it will be 110 easy matter to force his retirement until he wishes it himself. A Popular Front? If, 011 the other hand, the harassed voter turns to the Opposition for help in these troubled times lie can derive little comfort. The Labour party lacks a definite policy and adequate leadership. It exists 011 a policy of criticism and is as conservative in its prejudices as the party that it opposes. Moreover, it was fairly clear to the public at the end of last year that it had 110 real desire for the responsibilities of office. The Liberal party has disappeared from the House for all practical purposes. In these circumstances, a movement has developed lately for the formation of a "Popular Front," 011 the lines of the movements which won success in France and in Spain. Such a party would include not only Labour and Liberal supporters, but also all the radical and progressive elements in the country, including probably some of the "younger Conservatives." It is true that the rigid Trades Union constitution of the Labour party will move very reluctantly in such a direction, but the party is faced with its own comparative failure and will draw lessons from the defeat of organised Labour in Germany and Austria. It is too early yet to say whether the movement will go further than its present phase of discussion, but already the division of Chertsey has combined its Liberal and Labour organisations into a "Popular Front," and bigger things may come from this small beginning.