“A TRIED TEAM”

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 154, 1 June 1937, Page 7

“A TRIED TEAM”

COMMENTS ON CABINET. SMOOTHNESS OF TRANSITION. SURPRISE AT RESHUFFLES. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) i RUGBY, Alay 30. The smoothness of the transition from one Government to another is expressed by the Adorning Post (Conservative) in the phrase:—Yesterday the country passed tranquilly from one era to another by that kind of orderly revolution which is periodic under our Constitution. The Daily Telegraph (Conservative) declares: Air Chamberlain takes office with a tried team. In so doing he gives an. assurance that the steady course hitherto pursued by tile National Government is not to be dc-fiected.

The Ministerial changes are generally accepted as conforming to an inevitable and predictable pattern, but the Times (Independent) is joined by the Manchester Guardian (Liberal) and other papers in expressing some surprise in the reshuffle in the defence posts at a time when the rearmament programme is being got under way. The Times says: ‘‘There is no obvious reason why Ministers who, after the intensive experience of the rearmament programme, may now be supposed to have just achieved a thorough knowledge of their work—knowledge essential to swift and efficient progress—should suddenly have been transferred to other spheres.” The Birmingham Post, however, secsi in these particular moves an indica-j tion that Sir Thomas Inskip intended to take a dominating position as Alinister for the Co-ordination of Defence which many advocates of fuller cooperation between the three Services have long desired. While the changes naturally excite most comment, the retention of other Ministers at their old posts is warmly approved by most papers, and in particular the continued presence of Alr Anthony Eden at the Foreign Office, of the Alarqtiess Zetland at the India Office, and the assumption by Lord Halifax of the Lord Presidency of the| Council, with the special cachet that' office has acquired during the period of the National Government when it has been held alternatively by Air Stanley Baldwin and Air Ramsay AlacDonald, are three features which command approval. One more general criticism voiced by the Morning Post is:—“While the new Cabinet will meet with general approval, there is room for regret that the opportunity has not been taken to give office to sonio of the vigorous, right-wing Conservatives. A Conserve-, tive Government cannot afford to he indifferent to the body of opinion! which the right wing represents.” Another point of view in this con-1 nection finds a place in a leading article in the Birmingham Posl, which takes special pride in the new Prime Minister as a former Lord Alayor of Birmingham. Tlie Post says: —“On the domestic Aide one hop's the liberal and even radical tradition of Air Joseph Chamoerlain will be used freely and successfully to buttress a National Government whose chief domestic raison l’etre is its Liberal quality.” The Alorning Post, notwithstanding the reservation cited above, says n conclusion that Air Neville Cham>erlain “enters on his career as Prime Minister with the full confidence oi his party which is still the dominant party in politics, and with the entire food will of the country. Leader-writers without exception ind it impossible to review the now Ministry without a thought for the Ministers who have retired and for Mr Baldwin in particular. Typical of many tributes are the vords of the Manchester Guardian : ‘Air Baldwin carries with him into his retirement the good will and honour if men and women of every party and >f no party. It is his unique fortune hat in these recent months he has seemed .almost to cease to be a politician, and to have become a national possession. AIR BALDWIN’S SERVICES. (British Official AVireless.) RUGBY, Alay 30. It is stated that a representative body of Conservative Party supporters in the constituencies will take its fare•vell of the retired Prime Minister, Mr 'fanley Baldwin, at a meeting on June 24. , , At the outset a resolution of thanks t 0 Mr Baldwin for his services to the party and to the nation will be pleased, and afterward he will be presented ■vith a bound volume containing resolutions of appreciation which the party organisations, have submitted for che purpose.