CABINET RESHUFFLE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 42, 20 February 1939, Page 7

CABINET RESHUFFLE

PUBLIC APPROVAL

IMPORTANT CHANGES

(By Air Mail, from "The Post's" London Representative.)

LONDON, January 30,

The latest British Cabinet reshuffle and the introduction cf two nev men to Cabinet rank—Lord C atfield to be Defence Minister, and Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith to be Minister of Agriculture—have met with a favourable reaction among the public. Change was needed. For some weeks past the Government had been facing a growing tide of criticism, within their own ranks as well as without. The rumblings in the agricultural districts had been growing louder and louder and the dissatisfaction with Mr. W. S. Morrison, the Minister, as the Government figurehead in this Department, was steadily rising, particularly after the Milk Bill had to be withdrawn in -December. If the farmers were antagonistic, the people generally were equally uneasy over the defence question. In the weeks following Munich came the revelations of glaring gaps and deficiencies This was succeeded by the A.R.P. "muddle" 'and the resentment of local bodies at the lack of co-op-eration by Whitehall, and a series of articles in the Press criticising the country's lack of preparedness. A genuine feeling of resentment could be sensed among the people. "STRONGER TONE" APPROVED. The recent "stronger tone" adopted by the Government and the incisive speeches by the Prime Minister have met with general approval, and the feeling has been encouraged that perhaps Britain means business after all and that the drive along the "oneway road of appeasement" ir coming to an end. For some time it had become increasingly apparent that Sir Thomas Inskip, an 'ecclesiastical lawyer, was a round peg in a square hole in his position as Minister of Co-ordination of Defence. The appointment of Lord Chatfield, known as" a remarkable administrator and a skilful diplomat, who, within a month after retiring from the Admiralty, was rsked to investigate the India defences, has caught the public imagination and met the request for a stronger hand. After six years with the Committee of Imperial Defence it is felt that Lord Chatfield will have a wide understanding of the problems pf co-ordina-tion. From the political point of view it ■was most important that Government action should be taken to satisfy the farmers. The discontent caused by conditions approaching a slump was wide and t open, a fact made evident in the early stages of the East Norfolk by-election when Mr. J. F. Wright was nominated by Conservatives to oppose the National candidate. Only on- Mr. Chamberlain's personal intervention did Mr. Wright stand down. The intended march of 5000 farmers on London was another indication of discontent. For some time Mr. Morrison's critics had been trying to drive him out of the Cabinet, failing because his , colleagues refused to allow him to be made a scapegoat when they themselves were also involved '-> some extent. The Government determined to review its agricultural policy in consultation with farmers' representatives, and it was Mr. Chamberlain's decision that a "fresh mind" should be enlisted to help. A TACTICAL MOVE. Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith's elevation from the back benches is obviously intended to appease the farmers in some measure, while it is also regarded as a good tactical move to place a farmer in charge of the Ministry, a man who is also a past-president of the National Farmers' U«_iofl. and an opponent of the recent Government policy. He is credited with immense administrative ability and with refreshing modern ideas on agricultural policy. He will need them. The Ministry had already proved more than a handful to Mr. Morrison and Mr. Walter Elliot. One of the British farmers' chief bone of contention is the importation of primary produce from abroad. Limitation of Dominions' produce has been asked for openly on several occasions, and although the appointment of Sir Reginald will appease many grievances, it is not regarded as likely that it will influence the farmers to adopt a more reasonable attitude towards Dominions' imports. "A CALL -TO DUTY." "Like a dream come true" is Sir Reginald's view of his appointment to Cabinet rank. "How often since I took up farming have I thought, 'If I only were Minister of Agriculture!'" he said, after joining the Cabinet. "Now I've got the job I am suddenly beginning to sympathise with my predecessors. But I wouldn't have taken the job if I had not been convinced that agriculture can and will be placed on a sound and prosperous footing! once more. "Believe me, there is no mere feeling of elation in my home at my ap-i pointment. My wife and I look on it as just a call Ho duty. The tasks ahead are tremendous, but my political outlook has always been that there can never be permanent prosperity in this country until its main industry, agriculture, is itself prosperous. , "The responsibility of bringing this to pass will rest not only on the Government, but also on the farming community, who will have to co-operate with me and the Government to the very fullest. I can assure farmers and farm workers alike that the Premier is intensely sincere in his anxiety and determination to restore agriculture to its old-time security.

"Conferences between the Ministry and representatives of the Farmers' Union have already been arranged. I look forward to similar conversations with representatives of the farm workers and to making a tou. of the most seriously hit agricultural areas."