fan, 24.
Tne first Dabour Cabinet of Great Britain cannot but evoke smiles, in one respect. Where ave the red neckties and the exclusively horny hands? Three of its members, not by any means in the least important positions, hail from the Gilded Chamber. Another is a des: fendant of baronets. At" least tone was born in Park Lane. Those who are best known for "queer'' ideas, Mr. Sidney Webb and Mr. Trevelyan, are certainly anything but manual workers, while those born of working parents, as the phrase goes—dlo none really deserve to he called workers but they who wield the pickaxes and the erow?—are quite of the moderate wing in respect of Tabour views. But, after all, why not peers in a Tabour Cabinet? Was theta not an Egalité Prince of the Blood in the French Revolution?. And the mocratic name than that by which the world will ever remember him.
Nor will there be any real disposition to speak or" think derisively of Mr. Macdonald's colleagues. On the contrary we believe the general verdict will be that they represent a high average of brains and soundness, Mr. Thomas and Mr. Clynes have long enjoyed the respect of all parties. Mr. Stephen Walsh has twice discharged secretarial duties of a kind to prepare him for his present task. Sir Sydney Olivier it an authority on colonial questions, with first hand.experience of them, which is a much better preparation for the India Office than many of _its occupants have boasted. Mr. Burton is an expert on farming, Mr. 'Trevelyan on—education. and Mr. Sidney Webb has at least no lack' of theoretical qualification for the Board of Trade, Mr. Philip Syowden, apart from other possible equip-mont for the Chancellorship of the Exchequer, hia one great recommendation: he lag travelled in Russia during the height of Bolshevism. The three most interesting Ministries to watch, however, ho those of Labour, of Pal Works and of Foreign Affairs. Tu the two former, whatever socialistic tendencies there may be in the new Administration will have most scope. the third, the state of the whole world is index of the intense interest with which Mr. Ramsay Macdonald's work will watched. Already, we are told, the Chinese are paying far closer attention to British. polities than they have ever done before.
The very qualities in the! Cabinet which will tend to reassurance of the nation in general may _cnnse—grumbling among the Tack Jones's of its own side of the House. But their influence can be exngigoroted. The House of Com-mong has been found to exert a wonderfully steadying influence on the extremists. Those who fail to submit to it like the egret gious Snkletvala, soon find themselves outside. Moreover, he it remembered that every party that was ever in power hing Thad its wild men whom the leaders, in order safely disregard. wore first obliged to study. Tu the main, the Labour Cabinet appears typically British. Te is somewhat the neighbour of.a compromise, though with this reeommendation that its leaders appear to know exactly what they want to do. "There's the "respect give us pause,"" or so the pessimists will say, For some! experimentation "the—nation must he prepared and no doubt it' will have to. pay for it; though whether, in the long! run, it will have to pay more!
nit has, almost traditional.
done for the experimenting of bygone Governments, is question which, perhaps, only. the angels could answer. Two! sentences from TLabout leaders' speeches in the past_feiv days may be recalled. From Mr. Thomas, that Labour has! been trained'in a hard school and from Mr. Macdonald though Tabour has ideals on the horizon it not jump, but—w: OF both these sayings the new Cabinet stems-ty
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.