IF LABOUR WON

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 632, 8 April 1929, Page 9

IF LABOUR WON

BIRKENHEAD’S FORECAST “AUNT ELLENS” OF PARTY (United P.A. —By Telegraph—Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) LONDON, Friday. Lord Birkenhead, writing in the “Sunday Chronicle,” asks what would happen if Labour were returned. "If I read Mr. Ramsay Macdonald aright,” he says, "he will rather sacrifice his own career than see the interests of England and the Empire, as he understands them, betrayed, but he must be surrounded, despite his recent pledges, by many men, some of whom must become members of the future Cabinet and over whom his control is only partial or incomplete. “ft has even been rumoured that Mr. J. H. Thomas could be persuaded, if the necessity arose, that the sceptre might usefully be placed in his own very willing hands. He would be a most interesting Prime Minister. I can think of many worse. Of the others "of the parly, Mr. Arthur Henderson and Mr. J. R. Clynes are the “Aunt Ellens” of an oldfashioned comedy, who turn up whenever they are wanted, to make oldfashioned remarks. They can always be relied upon to exercise the duties of Victorian chaperonage. "After all, in the Labour Party there is much to chaperone.” FARMERS AND BEER MR. BALDWIN’S REPORTED MOVE (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) LONDON, Friday. The “Daily Herald” claims to reveal that the Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, in order to placate the farmers, has decided to reduce beer duty, and to introduce a Pure Beer Bill, and to tax the (imported grain used in breweries.