Dec. 21
To-morrow the British Parli ment goes into a brief recess for Christmas, after beginning the session within five days of the prorogation of November 17. This break with leisurely tradition shows the strain on legislators. It also disposes of the criticism that Governments pre-for to be without Parliament When faced with exceptionally vital issues. This National G ernment has had a remarkable success in carrying out the mandate for which it was returned. It has lost some of its Liberal virtue; it has still much to do. Retrenchment proposals in the early part of the coming year will, undoubtedly occupy considerable attention. The danger lies there in the adoption of mea: which have the double defect of impairing the national power of recovery and of appearing to minister to some of the prejudices which are too prevalent on the back-benches of the predominant Conservative section of the administration. In particular the possibility of a further onslaught on education will be watched with some anxiety. Fortunately the combination of Lord Irwin, as President of the Board of Education, and Mr. Baldwin as Lord President of the Council, should be strong enough to resist the specious arguments of reaction clothed in solicitude for the taxpayers' interests. But, at this distance, it is difficult entirely to assess the problems before the Government except on the broadest possible line: The payment of the Debt instal ment to America raises the immediate isto of a conference on the subject of future handling of that debt. That is a most momentous subject and will possibly entail the journey of one or more of the Cabinet to the United States, The framing of the Indian Constitution is believed to be tentatively contemplated as an_ item in the programme of 1983. In addition there are other substantial activities, such as_ the development of the tariff policy, the representation of Great Britain on the World Economic Conference—when it meets—and the complicated discussions on Disarmament. Domestic problems include unemployment,—local admi ion and the dispute with the Irish Free State.
The subject of outstanding interest in Westminster is one which causes great anxisty—the health of the Prime Minister: There seems to be little doubt
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.