FEELINGS BEHIND ATTACKS ON EDEN

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27861, 9 January 1956, Page 3

FEELINGS BEHIND ATTACKS ON EDEN

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.)

LONDON. January 6.

Nothing like the recent criticism of the Prime Minister. Sir Anthony Eden, some of it trivia] but much of it serious and constructive, has occurred in this country for at least a couple of decades.

The last Conservative Prime Minister to read so much Right-wing criticism of himself was perhaps Mr Stanley Baldwin, who was anathema to Lord Rothermere.

Not even Mr Chamberlain, after Munich, or Sir Winston Churchill after the last war had such a “bad” press Sir Anthony Eden has been getting.

Perpetual criticism from the Leftwing press of Conservative Prime Ministers is only to be exnected. It is all part of the political “game.” Libera’ newspapers can also be relied on to Swing telling blows from time to time. But it has been disconcer'ing to many people to. find that a man for years regarded as the “next Prime Minister” and a distinguished Foreign Secretary, should be suddenly described as “nerveless” and “a cipherer.” by the Right-wing press. Many people are wondering whether the criticisms have been “think pieces of political correspondents earning their keep while Parliament is in recess or. to go to the other extreme. whether there is a move afoot in the Conservative Party to replace Sir Anthony Eden.

A short answer—if there is a short answer—is that the criticism is a reflection o f the disturbed and troubled national political mind. Many people are not quite sure whether the recent prosperity, like the opening phase of tne last war, is not “phoney” prosperity.

Enemy in Inflation x . The ,.P? an l enemy they see in domestic politics is inflation— too many people are getting too little value for their earnings, and too little is apparently being done to solve their problems. The more money people earn the quicker it melts.

a Tt us * the criticism of Sir Anthony Eden chiefly amounts to is pot so much that he should “go.” but that he should “move.” Is he, to con-

tinue the colloquialism, gniner to get ? ™ ve ° n Or ’ as has been g is ccnltHution? ng tO be Writte " in -l° the

Anthon y Eden and therefore in to Sive a lead " ‘tnstandmg the pressure of wage vFeT„ a " dS 'V itb the if Motion that the J,!£ lpu s sp ' ral . ol inflation mav bn broken and. if necessary, is he going m,thr. n v U ? ~ °.,t be possibility of an outbreak of strikes? fA^ hC J* e incl ’nation in some quarters to think the recent right-win-P s tp’ Spaper f nticism ot the Prime Mtnemnln^. y - be -o n expres sion of some hXVint- Wl ? lln Sness to attempt tn J £ at,On ln thls wa y an d. by an atmosphere created by criticism to nrenare nublic opinion for wha?’h“ ! “‘ he Smack of flrm

iho. b il f WOl L 1 ! 1 u flt ln With the school of b no'n^ Ch ”] a ! ntains that Britain hXfoi ! ”^ < ?L la ! er take some disthat th' an i_,rf dation medicine and “ at the , s [J> n er it is swallowed in adTtndn° f v.J h Ji nf ’o t clection the better hiJ' c»h?no» ly ’ Slr Anthon y Eden and comfort=V?i * a . re wea thering an unnS 4 storm ln unsettled oeriod. It is presumed that they are planning ahead for a return of J Paraaideto‘band n hat J Until their plansthe l°. have b _? en delayed because of ft® autu . mp Budget, are completed is aft?r USt n r ‘ de ° ut the cri 't> p ism which is, after all, no unusual experience for ele?t°on. rnmen ‘ ly S °° n after an

ls Said that Sir Anthony Eden is in no way dismayed bv the critiuse m it bU a\ that he and his Cabinet will efforts a sprln ® boar d to better

But one cannot help wondering ‘ bare bas been no exact parallel scent Ce wheth rS tO r th J Present political Pooe™' lf ,be "smack of firm next fp™ e l?‘ nn *. felt within the • " eeks - criticisms may begin Eden m l i equ ?S t for Sir Anthonv ■•move." e e other kind of

„- T . n . air ' l ! ch an idea mav be wide °o frill r h Bu a th , e atmosphere is of one v?L demand -L for a movement or one kind or another that the presdefin P t°eiy° n Cann °‘ remain Statip in ’