NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 1929. BRITAIN’S NEW GOVERNMENT

Northern Advocate, 13 June 1929, Page 4

NORTHERN ADVOCATE DAILY

THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 1929. BRITAIN’S NEW GOVERNMENT

Registered for Transmission Through the Post as a Newspaper.

The new British (''.linnet has met with a reception which, taken as a whole, must he considered as very favourable. Mr Ramsay MacDonald has chosen a strong team, and, though there doubtless have been included some whose claims to preferment may be questioned, the Cabinet should prove itself well qualified for the discharge of the important duties which will devolve upon it. Nearly all the imminent members of Britain’s first Labour Government have been brought back. Some, notably Mr .1. H. Thomas, have hail new posts allotted to them, but then' is good reason for belief that all will fill their positions with credit to themselves and usefulness to the country. It is true that some prominent Ministers have professed views which, if put. into practice, would produce revolutionary

results, but t'lf' v.-ill o: c will^ no doubt have ;i steadying fl<»i-1. I tit’ nation will await with interest the” policy to he followed hy tin- (iovern- ' ment. This policy will he announced | in the King’s -Speech at the opening' of Parliament, hut it may he expected to follow the lines laid down in the j election manifesto of the party, signed | by Messrs Ramsay MacDonald, • J . R. ■ dynes and Arthur Henderson. Ac-j cording to this manifesto, the problem j in the domestic sphere upon which the attention of the Government is in the first place to he concentrated is that of unemployment. What is described as a “three-fold charter” is to he directed to the promotion of national development and trade prosperity, (he maintenance of the unemployed, and the relief of congestion in the labour marliet. National development is to he encouraged hy a policy of housing and shun clearance, land drainage, electrification, reorganisation of railways and transport, afforestation, and ‘‘training and assistance by agreements with the dominions for those who wish to try their fortunes in new lands,” and trade prosperity is to he sought through the stimulation ot depressed export trades hy the use of export credits and guarantees of trade facilities. in this connection it is ■proposed to re-establish diplomatic and trade relations with Russia. More generous maintenance for the unemployed is promised*, together with the removal of “those qualifications which deprive them of payments to which they are entitled.” The congestion of the labour market is to he relieved, at the one end, hy the provision, of “adequate pensions for aged workers” and, at the other end, hy the extension of the school age to In, “with the necessary maintenance grants.” The conditions in the - 1 mining industry will receive special treatment. Measures are to he. “immediately undertaken to alleviate distress, reorganise the industry from top to bottom both on its productive ami marketing sides, and shorten the hours of labour.” “A Labour' majority.” the manifesto said, “would nationalise the mines and minerals as the. only condition for ,satisfactory working/ Though the party claims to he' opposed to confiscation, the manifesto declared that “the land must pass under public control,” Further* the party “will abolish taxes on food and other necessaries, and provide what revenue is I needed by death duties , on large ! estates and hy graduating the income tax and surtax with a view to relieving the smaller, while increasing the contribution from the larger, incomes. The Labour Party will carry still further the differentiation between earned and unearned incomes. It will deal drastically with the scandal oi the .appropriation of land values by private landowners. It will take steps to secure for the community the inj creased value of land which is created Iby industry and the expenditure of j public money.” In. respect of foreign | .relations The . policy of the Labour party is to press for the speedy completion of the Disarmament Treaty ami the convocation of a general Disarmament Conference. That the. Government intends to take a really active fmrt. in this matter is evidenced by the fact that Mr. MacDonald is to accompany the Foreign Secretary, Mr Arthur Henderson, to Geneva. During the next few weeks Britain will be the cynosure o,f the world’s eyes. It may well bo, for history is being written in large characters.