BRITISH CABINET CRISIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20959, 24 August 1931, Page 8

BRITISH CABINET CRISIS.

The political position in Britain is tensely critical. British comment on it, while lacking the certainty that can come only with the issue ol a statement by the Government, plainly shows an expectation of speedy and decisive happenings. A significant fact is the King's sudden return to London from Balmoral, whither he went on Thursday with Queen Mary. His personal wish to be again at the centre of political action may not be prompted by anything said by the Prime Minister in the course of their long telephone conversation, but it is difficult to find an explanation unconnected with the plight of the Ministry. Pressure is being brought to bear on Mr. Mac Donald from various quarters, and particularly in the stand taken by the Trades Union Council is there evidence that he must decide without delay what he will do. In the council's emphatic opposition to economies in unemployment insurance and reductions in wages and salaries, an opposition coupled with the decision that a tariff would be preferable to these other methods of balancing the Budget, there is a direct and double challenge to Mr. Snowden. On neither issue can Mr. Snowden be expected to change his attitude. Hence Mr. Mac Donald's dilemma. He may look to renewed promises of Liberal support for justification of a maintenance of office with his Cabinet as it is, but tips recourse is of little avail in the face of the stand taken so firmly by the Trades Union Council. He can hold the bulk of his own party, it seems, only by throwing Mr. Snowden to the wolves. But this would give the Government little respite. . It would react hurtfully, for Mr. Snowden has been a valuable member of the Cabinet and his virtual dismissal would be interpretable by many of the party as an inexcusable conces•sion to his opponents. It would raise also the undoubted difficulty of filling Mr. Snowden's place with a capable Chancellor of the Exchequer. Whichever way he looks, Mr. Mac Donald faces trouble, and to be told that a tariff is preferred to economies must be a particularly heavy embarrassment at the hands of a dominant Labour organisation. He may choose to resign rather than be compromised in principle by yielding to this unwelcome demand. In any event, the position of his Government is precarious in the extreme.