Sept. 28.
Mr, Ramsay MacDonald's of forts to avoid a split in his Cabinet are, apparently, regarded as abortive. To-day's Cabinet Meeting in Downing Street is expected to produce the r of Sir Herbert Samuel and the Liberals of his way of thinking og well as of Viscount Snowden. The reconstructed Cabinet will presumably include new Simon-ite Liberal blood and, perhaps, a MacDonald Labour peer. If will be opposed in the House of Com-_ mons by the resigning Samuelites only on the tariff issue. Thus modified by confining the agreement to the House and by eliminating it from the Cabinet itself, Hopes are expressed that, Mr. MacDonald will be able to continue his administration in, these circumstances. Were it not for the disappearance of, Lord Snowden it would not be 30 difficult to be confident on that point. Although Lord Snowden's firmness as a Free Trader has obviously: made his position in the Cabinet most equivocal ever since the abandonment of a free trade policy was adopted, his formal severance of relations with the colleagues with whom he so ably worked to extricate the country from the crisis of Fast September must be deeply regretted. Mr, J. H. Thomas remains as the only Labour staljwart to follow the Prime Minister. Taking into account the approximation of view between /Sir John Simon and Conservatives like Sir Samue] Hoare and Mr. Baldwin, the Government's party complexion seems to be
If,|to that of the vast ma; gaining so close a resemblance of members of the House of Commons that the pressure to revert to a single-party administration is likely to increase.' The Prime Minister has borne an ex-la ceedingly heavy strain and he may feel that the loss of such valuable counterweights to his Conservative colleagues as Sir 'Herbert Samuel, Viscount Snowden and Sir Archibald Sinclair. 'Much will depend, of course, on the selections made to fill' the vacancies. It may be possible from them to judge whether the Prime Minister intends to bid for substantial lease of life.of his administration, split there can hardly On the immediate cause of th agreement with the view that the decisions at Ottawa strained the loyalty of the Cabinet's Free Traders to the limit, At the same time they will probably be the first admit that Mr, Baldwin and hhis colleagues, in their diploma tic adventure, could hardly have acted otherwise. The British Government was bound to do that it could to secure a stantial recognition of Dominion needs. It had behind it in the country a strong Conservative opinion which, if left to itself, Jwould have gone much further the adoption of such modest measures of preference as em-larged from the various agree-|f! ments. The failure of the Conference would have aroused lively fears for the success of Great Britain's participation in the forthcoming World Economic Conference. The risk which had fo be run was plain. As the lowering of tariff walls is acjeepted generally as a necessary measure of rehabilitation, Great Britain may well desire to be a free as possible to assist in that laudable undertaking. She will, to an important extent, find her hands tied by the commitment of ithe Five Year preference duties. How far that obstacle can be removed by subsequent agreement} with the Dominions, if its removal becomes desirable, must) remain to be seen. The Free Liberals are certainly matter of principle. It is equally' a matter of principle for Mr. Baldwin and his Conservative followers to see that legislation embodying the Ottawa proposals: is promptly initiated.
On other than fiscal issues' [there is no difference of opinion between the Government and its now departing colleagues. As richly sufficient majority exists carry out the Ottawa pro-and to maintain the policy of discriminating protection_no [crisis should normally arise. The country is not anxious for another election. The emphasis of ithe vote last year was born of. jo desire for the men in office to [proceed with the task of reconstruction to its logical fulfilment. Conformably with that. national view the National Government may still be called upon to keep [steadily on its way to financial recovery. It must regard the task incomplete until the World Economic Conference has been convened and prescribed the remedy. It may be objected that the overwhelmingly _Conserva-{tive character of the Government benches in the House will render leontinuance of this National style unreal. The test, however, Iseems to be afforded by asking the question whether the mandate last year was given to Mr. MacDonald or to Mr. Baldwin. The answer can hardly be in doubt. If the Prime Minister found it impossible to continue it is open also to question when ther the Cabinet could rely on retaining the support of non-Conservatives. Assuming that fan election would be avoided at jail costs, transformation into a Conservative Government would result in a distinct loss of authority, even if the ability and driving force provided fell in no lway short of the present standard. Magnificent though Mr. Baldwin has been in his patriotic self-effacement and his loyal lieutenancy to the Prime Minis ter, the influence of Mr. Mac~ Donald still carries a special Jeachet both internationally and nationally. Tt will be hoped therefore that his Cabinet reconstruction, if found to be neces sary as the result of to-day's discussions, will be successfully thieved and secure stability for his administration which has 80 brilliantly been able to lead the British nation along the path of self-sacrifice and stern readjustment.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.