to. Socialism From Arn Ows London, Nov. 6.
We have got so accustomed to shouts about unemployment, week ity week, and year by year, ever wince the war that there' is a tendency amongst a large class of Feople in England at the present time either to believe that the country is completely down and out er else that they are having their Jegs pulled, The truth, as usual, is somewhere half-way in' between the two. We are in a bad way, even a desperately bad way in some epacts, but there are few people in 2 position to know who are not of the opinion that the situation al-Though extremely serious can be remedied somehow. It rather looks fas though we have got to get used '0 having about one million people wholly oF temporarily out of a job. As far back as January, 1921, there were over a million unemployed Feople in the country. In June, 1921, there were 24 million, They were still at the two million mark in the early part of 1922, after which they decreased steadily and Jevelled out at about one million for 3923, 1924 and 1925. Then came the disastrous coal strike year in 1026, and they shot up again to one anillion six hundred thousand odd. From that second peak—they tumbled rapidly, till, for the first time since the War, they got below the million mark in the early sum mer of 1927, After that, they remained about steady at one million until the Conservatives went out of office, 'Since the Socialists came in, however, the figures have risen steadily week by week, and at the time of writing they stand at the amazing figure of 2,237,501. Reliable prophets say that' they will be well over the 2h million mark by the middle of the winter.
Although this rite during the past 18 months can to some substantial degree be traced to the recent legislation making it much easier to obtain unemployment bene-Sit, and the general lack of confidence Aue to a Labour Government and the increase of taxation in the last Budget, the greater part of it is undoubtedly due to the shrinkage of cur export trade which, in its turn, can be traced to world' events such unrest in India and. China. Undoubtedly, the present Govern. anent has lost an immense amount prestige through its inability to handle. the site Tt went to the country making the wildest pro-mulses to deal effectively with unemployment as soon as. it got in. These promises have been made to ook more than foolish by recent events, There is a tendency, ax a result, amongst a large section of the public, spurred on by the press, to suggest that our Parliamentary. government is completely failing that it wastes too much time in table and does not act quickly enough. Such suggestions come mainly' from those who believe that the remedy for the situation Ties in tariffs and yet more tavilfs, They see Parli ment arguing ubout tariffs day after day, and no tariffs being pac fu, £0 they come to the conclusion that Parliament is no gosd. They not seem able to go one sten Werther and conclude that the answer is that they should work and vote for a Government that will be able to bring these tariffs into being. As a combined result of our depression and the strenuous campaign waged by the Rothermere und Beaverbrook papers, the great amorphous mass of the electorate gradually beginning to be pushed in this direction. The result almost undoubtedly will be a considerable move towards, or even atrium! for, protection when the next eleetion comes along. A week ago it would have been fairly safe prophesy an election within a year, but hardly before. Since then, how-ver, matters have developed rapidly. "On Tuesday the Conservatives challenged the Government records premployment, and the Liberal split became immediately noticeable, The Government secured a majority lof 31, which included four Liberals, Sir 'William Edge, Sir Donald Maclean, Mr. Runciman and Sir Godfrey' Collins, who, -curiously enough, are all more or less leaders of the Party. On the other hand, there were a few who voted against the Government, including Sir John Simon, Mr. George Lambert, Sir Murdoch Macdonald, the Rev. R.
Kedward and' Sir Rotert Hutchison. Directly afterwards, Sir John' Simon issued a letter stating that he was definitely opposed to giving any appearance of supporting the Government, which the regarded as incapable, and he intended to v it both on the Trades every other issue of importance.
This was at once followed by the
chi son, the Chief Liberal Whip. who igni of Sir Robert Hut-ins' to have had differences of opinion with Mr. Lloyd George for some time past.
The situation can, therefore, be summed up as follows:—Events are sweeping on to a political crisis. All Parties are feeling the atmosphere which precedes an appeal to the country and many well informed Politicians think that this cannot Tong be delayed. These significant facts emerge: The Labour Party has issued an urgent appeal to its supporters for funds with which to fight a General Election: A small Dut influential section of the Libei Parliamentary Party, including 'John Simon and Sir Robert Hut-Jchison, is pressing for vigorous action' against the Government: The Conservatives, though divided outside the House on Empire trade, are united inside: The Government is to go on with its intention to ment to approve the grants proposals in the school-leaving Age Bill, opposition from both Liberal Tories: there is amounting to a certainty, nothing more will be heard of the "measure of electoral reform" men-Vioned in the King's Speech; and that when they are ready, the Government will announce flatly that they will do nothing to carry. cut the Liberal plans for the relief of unemployment.
There is little doubt that the King's Speech, insofar as it provided any mea employment, was ing to most of the Soci Few of them are foolish enough see much hope in the plans for geting more people on to the land small holdings, ete" and they realize too well that it is well-nigh futile to drive a lot of amateurs on to the soil when the experts themselves are either living from. hand to mouth or making heavy lose The Liberals have just published! another of their coloured booklets which ix called "How to Tackle Unemployment." The title is not 80 grandiose as their el lication, "How to Conquer employment." and the text is also lest, presumably because Government consumption while the fatter was only intended for the exedulous elector. There is nothing new in the recent booklet, apart from the suggestion that ' 100,000 small family farms might be ereated. None of the critics have seen anything very attractive in this suggestion, except possibly the num-her. The obvious criticism is that there is no point in adding to cur productivity when there is loss rather than profit in producing, For the rest, economy is suggested, fon the one hand, and a £250,000,000 "Development Loan," on the other. The combination is, hardly happy, and as the Government is ready spending over £150,000,000 a year on "development Loan" lines, with-oat any tangible results, they are hardly likely to jump at the suggestion that they should pour even snore money down this dral
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.