MR BALDWIN RESIGNING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 157, 4 June 1929, Page 7

MR BALDWIN RESIGNING.

CONSERVATIVE LEADER’S DECISION.

FORECAST OF LABOUR CABINET.

PREVIOUS MEMBERS INCLUDED.

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

(Australian Press Association.—United Service.)

Received June 4, 9.55 a.m

LONDON, June 3. The Premier, Mr Stanley Baldwin, has decided to resign

The Central News Agency understands that the Ministers are formally placing their individual resignations in Mr Baldwin's hands this afternoon.

During’ the week-end Mr Baldwin was in touch with Lord Stamfordham, His Majesty’s private secretary.

RESULTS OF POLLING.

with Miss Susan Lawrence as Parliamentary Secretary. Minister of Health: Mr A. Greenwood, with Miss Margaret Bondfield as Parliamentary Secretary. President of the Board of Trade: Mr W. Graham. Minister of Agriculture: Mr JN. Buxton. Overseas Trade Office (its importance is to bo increased): Mr A. V. Alexander. President of the Board of Education: Sir diaries Trevelyan. Secretary for the Dominions: Mr 1. Johnston. Secretary for India: Lord Oliver. Minister of Pensions: Mr F. 0. Roberts. Secretary for Scotland: Mr \\ ■ Adamson. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Representative at the League of Nations: Sir Oswald Mosley. Lord Chancellor: Lord Parmoor. Attorney-General: Sir Henry Slesser. Solicitor-General: Mr Melville or Mr Holford Knight. Other appointments may be: Mr J. "Wedgwood, Commander Kenworthy, Mr F. W. Jowett, Mr H. B. LeesSmith, Mr T. Kennedy, Miss E. Wilkinson. OTHER COMMENT. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 2. On the one hand, it is argued that Parliament should decide whether a change of Government is desired and that the result of tho election does not entitle Mr Baldwin in effect to hand over the Government to Labour, which is also in a minority. On the other hand, it is contended by some that the decision of the electorate should bo accepted and that the Labour Party should be given an opportunity of presenting the King’s Speech, with which Parliament will no opened. Those holding this view declare that the 1923 precedent is not entirely applicablo to the present situation, inasmuch as on that oebasion the Conservative Party was still the largest and the course of awaiting defeat in the House of ! Commons on a Labour no-confidence • vote was then the obvious one to take. Sir Austen Chamberlain, in a speech at Birmingham on Friday night, stated that it was for tho Prime Minister, after taking such advice as he thought proper, to decide his course of action, but lie hoped that Mr Baldwin would face the House of Commons and leave to Mr Lloyd George and tho Liberal Party the responsibility for the situation which they had created. The Daily Telegraph and' the Daily Mail definitely state that the Prime Minister will take this course. He will, it is said, reconstruct his Ministry -and present himself before the new House of Commons with a programme ok work to be accomplished during the brief session before the summer recess early in August and await action by the Opposition parties. The Morning Post states: “The Government’s position is unfortunately complicated by the illness of the King. There is no other consideration to tempt Mr Baldwin to remain in office a moment longer than is indispensable to the preliminaries of the change.” The Manchester Guardian urges that the handling during the next few weeks of important constitutional questions should be approached with care and deliberation. It considers that it would be a misfortune if Mr Baldwin were immediately to resign, and points out that if lie decides to carry on until defeated in Parliament there will be a whole month in which to cultivate the temper of the House of Commons and to explore the field of possible compromise. PROPORTION OF LABOUR VOTE. : Commenting on the immediate results of the polling, most newspapers express surprise at tho proportion of the Labour vote. The Times states:

GOVERNMENT’S POSITION

TIMES’S COMMENT.

(Times Cables.) LONDON, Juno 3, The Times states:

“The outstanding fact of the election is that the Labour Party will form tho next Government by virtue of having the largest following in tho House of Commons. That is the nation’s manifest intention. Labour may dismiss the suspicion that the Conservatives aro fabricating an unholy alliance for the purpose of obstructing it.

“Whether Mr Baldwin resigns or awaits dismissal from the House of Commons in three weeks’ time is of relatively small importance. Mr Baldwin himself probably feels that even to appear to hesitate is like a batsman questioning the umpire’s decision. The arguments pro and con on the subject of an immediate resignation are closely balanced. There can bo no question of seeking Liberal support to prolong tho life of the Government, tliougn signs of it in certain sections of the Press would be as welcome to certain nervous souls as it would be to tadpoles and tapers who haunt muddy waters.

“Mr Lloyd George can effectually put the .Socialists into power. The method and manner of their assuming it matters little. But what does matter is that there should be no suspicion of manoeuvres afoot to rob Labour of the fruits of its victory.” The Times adds that the National Executive of the Labour Party will meet during the coming week to hear the opinions of the party leaders, especially those of Mr MacDonald, and shape a policy enabling the Labour Party to assume office and maintain itself therein for two years essential to maturing Labour’s plans and ensuring the introduction of two Budgets. If the second is not carried they will go to the country thereon, but it is necessary in this connection to have either the support of tho Liberals or their benevolent neutrality. Consequently, Lahour is most likely to choose from tho programme of measures which the Liberals favour and' postpone definitely Socialistic legislation until a more convenient time.

ELECTORS’ WILL.

DUTY OF THE COMMONS

LABOUR LEADER’S STATEMENT.

(Australian Press Association.) LONDON, June 3,

The Daily Herald (Labour organ) in an exclusive interview with Mr MacDonald covers points which can be crystallised as follows: “Mr Baldwiil should lose no time in telling the country what he is going to do. Labour claims that it is the only alternative Government. Labour holds and is going to keep the initiative.” A significant passage is: “It will be the duty of the House of Commons to give effect to the electors’ will if Mr Baldwin decides to await a vote of censure. It is clear to me that the country wishes the new Parliament to remain in being, making the best of the mandate, and not go flying back to the constituencies because of purely partisan feeling. An election in a few months might suit the ample coffers of the Tory and Liberal Parties.” The Daily Herald in an editorial demands Mr Baldwin’s instant resignation. The paper warns the Liberals that by supporting Mr Baldwin they are only hastening their own extinction. The Daily Express, after editorially calling on Mr Baldwin to resign, features its political correspondent’s deductions: “If Mr Baldwin instantly resigns. Labour will then have to take office without completing a deal with the Liberals, and with diminished prospects of doing so. But if Mr Baldwin remains it will make co-opera-tion between the Socialists and the Liberals a greater reality than now. The Dailv Express understands that Mr Lloyd George has come to the conclusion that the Liberals should not support Mr 'Baldwin in tho event ot there being a vote of censure; also, that the Conservatives are divided among themselves, though a majority is in favour of facing the House. The Daily Telegraph states: Constitutional usage and expediency alike demand that Mr Baldwin should reconstruct his Ministry and meet the House of Commons with a programme of progressive, non-controversial measures common to all parties, leaving the responsibility of defeating it and forcing another early election to his opponents.” . . The Daily Mail, claiming that there are thirteen million to eight million votes against Socialism, states that the Conservatives and Liberals must get together.

“Some of the general advance of that party may be due, no doubt, to the studied moderation of the pr - grarame put forward by its leaders, and the return in particular of Mr Ben Turner, who has shown considerable courage in his protagonism of industrial peace, is a welcome sign of the times. It is a confirmation of thisinference that the only retiring Communist member was heavily defeated and that Communist candidates polled in every case the merest handful of votes.”

The Daily Chronicle, after admitting that Labour’s advance cannot be gainsaid, states that the one thing that emerges clearly is the need for electoral reform if a system of three parties is to be worked without injustice at the polls. The Liberals, with over five million votes, are once more grossly under-represented, while of the other parties the Conservatives come first in votes and second in seats'. On all hands it is agreed that the first experience of adult franchise has not been disappointing—the votes cast having apparently averaged nearly 80 per cent, of the total electorate.

MAIN CABINET APPOINTMENTS

NEWSPAPER’S FORECAST

(Australian Press Association.) LONDON, June 3. The Daily Express states that Mr Ramsay MacDonald has framed his main appointments in the event of Ins being called on to form a Ministry. They are as follow: — Pi-ivy Seal: Mr A. Henderson. Chancellor of the Exchequer: Mr P. Snowdon. Foreign Office: Mr J. H. Thomas. Secretary for War: Dr. Hugh Dalton. Lord President of the Council: Lord Arnold. Air Minister: Lord Thomson. Minister of Labour: Mr T. Shaw,

“NEITHER RICH NOR POOR.”

LABOUR’S DREAMS,

(Times Cables.) LONDON, June 3. Mr J. Maxton stated at a Labour victory demonstration at Glasgow: “Even if we do not control Britain we are going to have an opportunity of ruling it. We are going to have an opportunity of abolishing privation. A large proportion of >ilie people who voted Labour have not had a decent meal for four years, and have been living on an income of less than 40s a week. That lias got to stop im-

mediately. We say there should be neither rich nor poor, neither master nor serf, neither war nor thought of war. I stand here amid victory and say that we will not oease to work until we see around us the world of our dreams.”