THE LABOR CABINET

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXXI, Issue 22, 24 January 1924, Page 5

THE LABOR CABINET

THREE PEERS INCLUDED PREMIER TAKES FOREIGN AFFAIRS. Press Association—Copyright. Anstralian and N.Z. Cable Association. , London, January 22. It is officially announced that Mr Ramsay MacDonald’s Ministry will be as follows: •

Mr R. MacDonald Prim© Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs. '■

Mr J. H. Thomas. —Secretary for the Colonies.

Sir Sydney Oliver. —Secretary for India. ■ Lord Chelmsford. —First Lord of the Admiralty.

Mr S. walsh. —Secretary for War. Lord Haldane.— Lord Chancellor. Mr Philip Snowden. —Chancellor of the Exchequer,. . R. Clynos.— Lord Privy Seal and .ideputy-Leader of the House of ColuSnbns. Lord parntoor. —Lord President of the Council. “ > Mr' Arthur Henderson.— Sairetary for Home Affairs.

’’ Rrigadler-General A. C. Thomson. Minister for Air. Mr Sidney of the Board of Ttjpli.f'f.; ... , .x Mr j. Wheatley—Minister for Health/ ! , Mr N. E. Buxton.— Minister for Agriculture. • Mr W. Adamson .—Secretary tor Scotland, s , r . . , , Mr C. Trevelyan Minister for Education, 5,. Mr T* .to- Tin nor. Mr V; V: Hartshorn^— Po&timir^torGeneral. Mr J. Wedgwood.—Chancellor of tho Duchy -of Lancaster. Mr F. 'tye 1 jowett.— Commissioner of Works.; yiir.. v .

FEATURES OF THE CABINET.

SEVEN TRADE UNION offi- ‘ . Cl A US,

London, January 23. Out of twenty new ministers only seven are trade union officials. -Of the other thirteen half are recent accessions to the party. Lord Chelmsford’s appointment is a complete surprise; he has never appeared on > Labor platform at all. Mr Wheatley represents the Clyde extremists. -Da.iV says Mr MacDonald' is .'already facing a constitutional problem owing to some of his followers, especially the Clyde Socialists, desiring to control Cabinet, and a party committee has been appointed to consider the matter. It is understood Mr MacDonald has not committed himself to a% departure- from the constitutional position of the responsibility of Cabinet to Parliament. The discussion, however,, was Lively, many of Mr MacDonald's supporters riot ’ being prepared to lie governed’ entirely- by constitutional precedent’.'/-Mr MacDonald is anxious that t there should be fullest liasion between Cabinet and the Labor Party.

The Daily Telegraph says the meeting of the Parliamentary Labor Party was protracted but harmonious. Mr MacDonald emphasised the necessity of putting on one side all sectional interests and supporting the Parliamentary leaders. The lelegraph adds that a committee was appointed to consider the organisation of the party in the light of the new circumstances and the best methods of main tad mug contact between the (Government and the rest of the party. The -committee . will report when Parliament reassembles. : The Daily Telegraph’s lobbyist adds that Mr MacDonald told the pdi'ty ineeting that the Ministry Ulianas W' hist devote, its attention to' ■uheMploymieut : provision, a- bolder housing scheme and ,an. enquiry into uid condition of agriculture, tnc appointments of Cueimstoi d aiid Lord Parrnoor were well received. The Daily Telegraph says there were some members averse to the proposal to | create’ now i>eers, but Hie general feeling is. that this was inevitable* hi >; thev po'e!*. cu-cumstan-ces. 'A that m /he V retraining v|,appoih|kueuts the trade utttoii /sidedof .movement should vhe, fully , recogliised,: hut%Mr MacDoiMid' ; gay e llO pledge §0 that effect/* A ‘Suggestion /as mMe that the salaries of members of the Cat> inet should be reduced, but it met witli no elucouragement. Emphasis was laid on the fact that the Ministry must reach a decision on public ■policy, and the party nldst nob expect to be consulted in advance. The new Cabinet has been well received, indeed, some (surprise is manifested at the amount of ability available.

The Daily Herald lobby correspondent says that the reason, for the large Cabinet is that a great deal of work will bo done by a committee of Ministers, which will thresh out questions referred to them and report conclusions to the full Cabinet, whose function will bo to supervise and make final decisions, thus the country will have a organised..on business lines. ,s The paper, editorially, claims that the new Ministers ■ will be more correctly informed on unemployment, housing and, foreign policy than those they replace. Tho’dDtrily the names

giro promise of sound government, and there is unquestionable ability as well ap new blood.

Mr Henderson, Sir S. Olivier and General, Thomson are all without seats, hut it is understood Sir S. Olivier, and certainly General Thomson, will receive peerages. General Christopher Birdwood Thomson, the new Air Minister, is a sapper officer with extensive military and diplomatic experience. H© wrote a critical account of the Balkan War in 1913 for the War Office. Later he was military attache at Belgrade and it Sofia, and he combated German propaganda in south-eastern Europe. He was present at the Paris Conferencel. Ho is the author of the book “Old Europe’s Suicide.” The Daily Chronicle says Cabinet forms an interesting list; scarcely the list the Labor rank and the expected, but it is not necessarily worse for that. Mr MacDonald has faced the necessity of taking administrative capacity and experience where he could find it, and he hag succeeded in finding a good deal. The Morning Post says that assuming aJ Socialist Ministry is inevitable there is not much to take exception to in this one. It might easily have been- worse, hut possibly the relief it now brings will he modified when! tlio names of the Undersecretaries are known. It i,si noticeable that only nine, of the new Ministers have ever been manual work-

Immed lately after the division, which was ,taken amidst the keenest excitement, Sir ; MacDonald . claimed that the main question, namely, that of the address, bo put. The Speaker accepted this, which was thus wiping out the other amljidments, amid strong Conservative protests.

The amended address was then put and carried by 328 votes to 351.

On Mr Baldwin’s motion the House adjourned until to-morrow.

There were wild Labor cheers . as Mr MacDonald left the chamber. Mr Baldwin was also rousingly cheered by his supporters. The following Liberals voted for the Government Sir Bxldoo Rees,

Sir Thomas Robinson, Messrs Duckworthl, Hugh Edwards, Land, Sturrock, Hogjbin, Jenkins. W. E. Robinson, and Colonel Engl,and.

f ‘lt is not a moment for elation; it is' a terrible responsibility, but, fail or succeed, no Government responsible .for affairs, will more honestly try'to serve..” In these words Mr MacDonald replied to congratulations, on the result of the division. Mr MacDonald embarks on an historic adventure, assisted by much sympathy. All eyes are watching to see how the new Government will deal with the strike, which is tin nowise complete, but the stoppage is more; .serious, 'thihi; 'the companies’ pre-strike statements foreshadowed.

At a meeting of the Association of the British Chambers of Commerce at Birmingham, Sir Arthur Balfour president) said“So long as the Labor Government is not controlled by Communists, the Chambers ' of Commerce will give it all ; possible g'd in its: undertakings for the benefit of the country. Wo are ,on the verge’of an improvement in trade.”

The .Chambers would oppose nationalisation; and they believed the capital d.evy would be disastrous. Ha understood the coming Budget would show a million or two surplus, but economy was necessary in order to relieve taxation.

The meeting adopted resolutions, urging upon the Government the desirableness of a Bill for carrying out the economic resolutions of the Imperial Conference in favour of Imperial penny postage, and urging the Government to approach the French and Italian Governments with regard to their debts to Britain.

THE NEW HOSTESS AT NO. ,10.

London, January 23,

Miss ' Ishbell : Map Donald, the Premier's* eldest daughter, -is a studious pretty girl with rosy dimpled cheeks. She visited No. 10 Downing Street at Mrs Baldwin’s invitation, and afterwards told the Daily Express: “Of course 1 shall he father’s hostess. . Why .not/ I atfn twenty, • though people always think'' me younger. It 'will be an interesting experience. I am awfully • • proud of my father. * t have been at-a-domes-tic acieric'e"' college, bub ■ may - • finishthcre/soon.'/ 1 have been. • - studying laundry Wi}l:s,, housewifery , and .cook-ery,-hut .prefer ]’science, and. .physics. i°tlijink I;shall like Nfo.i 10 ,which, is. a‘ 11 ice j,place, j but\ijwfally, complicated., I like old novels .best and do not dike ’ daubing, but I am fond of music.,) golf and .hockey.”

OPINIONS OF WORLD PRESS.

POOR COMFORT FOR GERMANY,

A GASP OF ASTONISHMENT.

(The Times). (Received 10.5 a;m.) London, January 23. Tlie Berlin correspondent of the Times- states that Berlin does' not expect Mr MacDonald to greatly change the British foreign policy. It is thought his chief task will .bo.in the realm of Home Affairs, and the mhlic is warned against the delusion that the Labor Party . npiyd give tprqr cede nee to any but. ■JB|&i|ih) interest*? Nevertheless, some hopes . arehold ■•it that the Labor " Ve a stronger line ro- 1 pa rations and Democracy. Socialist newspapers, for instance, •suggest that steps for general liquidation of war’s aftdrmath may be taken - by Mr MacDonald along new linos,, perhaps through the League of Nations or a congress at which I Germany will appeal' on terms of [equality with Britain and France,

The retention of the naval programme, even in the interests of employment, caused a gasp of astonishment, and it is accepted as evidence that nothing very revolutionary must bo expected | from British Labor.

FREEDOM FROM FRANCE’S CLAWS.

"OUR ENGLISH COMRADES."! (Sun Cable). (Received 9.40 a.m.) Berlin, January 23. The National Zeitung is confident that the: British - Labor Government will rescue Germany from Franco’s claws.

The Yorwaerts devoted two columns to a dscussion of the policy of our "our English comrades."

CONSERVATIVE NO-CONFIDENCE

ANTI-SOCIALIST AMENDMENT.

Press Association—Ctopyrlghifi Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. i (Received 9.5. a.m.) ■ London, January 23.

SV.r Kingsley Wood and other Conservatives have given notice of a motion of "No Confidence" in the Government, which is representing less than one-third of the electorates, is. pledged to Socialism, and is unahlo to carry on the Administration in accordance with the wishes of the majority of the citizens.

It is understood that Mr MacDonald is leaving his Majesty to fill tho Court posts with the exception of the chamberlainship. SATISFACTION IN CANADA. RADICALISM NOT FEARED. (Tiie Times). (Received 10.5 a.m.) London, January 23.

The Toronto- correspondent of the London Times states it is significant that there is little hostile criticism of the British Labor Party by tho Canadian newspapers. Much confidence is expressed that many of tho evil results predicted from, the Labor administration wi11.., never be realised.

The correspondent quotes the Montreal “Star’?! as expressing the opinion that mote danger is to be fearol from Labor's inexperience than its radicalism. The paper considers that .few 'men are bct||r equipped than Mr MacDonald the British foreign. policy, sjermr-as thedstiidy of actural fs concerned. It wonders, however if lie could prove a match in diplomatic duelling, lor; .Mr Eqjiqjtare Millerfyidjpj All the press consent shows confidence that no vital interests of the Empire will;,;, be by the Labor Government and that no fevtolu/tionary will be forced throughi^ParlHftnieiit.

ENGLISH PUBLIC OPINION.

GOOD RECEPTION FOR LABOR.

—~erv'(Reuter Service.) (Received 10/16 a.m.) London, Jan aaiy 23,

Hie Scottish Laborite M.P., MiMax ton, declared that the Gydeites are satisfied with the appointment of Mr Wheatley who i s the one man capable of dealing with housing. Mr Kirkwood said; “if tlie Labor Government disappoint the woikers, Gpd help them.” ■Mr Stewart anticipated that the Government would provide a decent standard of living for the millions of people, but any meihber of the Government failing in thia connection will have to answer therefor.

Un the whole the personnel of first Labor Government a.o meeting with a remarkably' and sympathetic reception. .Event-th© extreme Conservative organs ; «re notowortidly silent regarding predictions of disaster. The papers generally, including the llothei mere add Beaverbrook autlSocialist blessing to the new experiment. A large degree of the popularity undoubtedly! i s due to tho . diverse and well-balanced nature of -: tbe Ministry comprising trades .unionists’ and, intelligenta in soffielvhat eijUal proportion, with a gVj'o'd leavening of b .experienced admfflistraloVs,\ several; s of ’ whom are new'accessions to "the Labor Pa.ty, 1 including ‘'Lord fvChelfAsTord, > s who i & still" hbmihsilly •a : 'Conservative Peer. , • ' A