MR. BALDWIN'S PROGRAMME
THE King's Speech has only one paragraph which could not have been foretold from the Government's Election Manifesto. The Speech is, in fact, the Parliamentary expression of practically every intention mentioned in the programme put before the electors. The only sentence which was not foreshadowed by election utterances was that dealing with " the further development of our civil air communications," which had, however, been indicated in the last Parliament as an essential development which was receiving the close attention of the Air Ministry. For the rest the most satisfactory thing about the Speech is the obvious determination Of the Government to lose no time in bringing in the measures necessary for the execution of their domestic policy.
But the international situation is obviously of greater importance than anything in the domestic field, even the coal crisis, and the words used regarding Italy and Abyssinia by the Prime Minister will be closely scanned. With Mr. Baldwin's main thesis, that it is the business of the Government to support League action, and if necessary stimulate League action, unfalteringly on the one hand, and on the other explore every possibility of an honourable peace, there will be general agreement. Though Major Attlee had some ground for suggesting that such a combination of policies might result in a fatal dualism, it obviously need have no such effect, and the Prime Minister was fully justified in his reply that it was a dualism which no statesman bearing the responsibility falling on the head of a Government could possibly reject. Everything depends on the resolution and pertinacity with which the sanctions policy is carried through—Which means at the present moment on the decision taken in regard to petrol—and on the nature of the settlement which this country as a member of the League of Nations is striving to promote. Put briefly, it must be a League peace, embodying the principles for which the League has always stood and must always stand. How it can be a peace acceptable (as the King's Speech suggests) to both the aggressor and the victim of aggression it is not merely difficult but impossible to T.onceive.
' The international situation has a direct bearing on the announcement that the deficiencies in the defence forces are to be made good. No indication of the expenditure involved is given in the speech, nor was it brought out in debate, but the proposals " will be limited to • the minimum required " for Covenant obligations and Enipire defence. The modernisation of our forces is undoubtedly essential, but at a time when the success or failure of the League hangs in the balance it is impossible to reach any clear conclusion as to what the necessary minimurn is. 'The decision hangs on the degree of reliance that can 'reasonably be placed on collective security. If the policy we are pursuing brings success at Geneva, there must inevit- ably follow a general reduction in armaments and our minimum will be much less than would otherwise be considered essential.
The sections of the speech dealing with domestic affairs embody the principal features of the policy of industrial reorganisation and expansion of social services endorsed by the country at the_ election., The depressed areas arc to be the subject of special. attention, and the Prime Minister's appeal to manu- facturers to do what they can to establish new indus- tries in the old industrial areas deserves whatever response , is practically possible'. The support of private enterprise is a necessary pre-requisite to the success of any scheme the Government may bring,. forward for healthy industrial expansion. There are many signs that leading industrialists are aware, of their share of responsibility for the social conse- quences of their actions and are prepared to co-operate to an increasing extent in the efforts that are being made to achieve industrial balance. In this connexion the Government are likely to encounter stiff opposition to their proposals for dealing with the difficulties in the cotton industry : but here, again, a sufficient volume of support is forthcoming from the industry to ensure that the Bill will not be wrecked by a recalcitrant minority.
The selling arrangements in the coal industry— recently dealt with in these columns—are to be co-ordinated through the machinery set up by Part I of the 1980 Coal Mines Act, and the much discussed unification of royalties is promised • in this session. On the successful working out of that difficult piece of legislation, in conjunction with the other measures for reorganisation, depends the future of a million people, and the Prime Minister justly characterised the projected measure as one of the most important items in the Government programme. Taken with the other proposals affect, ing the main industries—railway development, ex- tension of civil aviation, naval replacement, and a continuously expanding building programme—it holds out the promise of a degree of orderly expansion of trade so far unachieved since the War.
Keeping pace with the proposals for increased industrial activity march those for the improvement in the health and well-being of the people. The disquieting figures of maternal mortality have stirnit= lated the Ministry of Health to a close' examination of the causes, and the reorganisation of maternity services, including a scheme for the provision of the services of salaried midwives, should go far to improve the health of both the mothers and the children of the nation. The proposals, not yet outlined, for further development of physical eul4 ture courses for school children will be welcome. They will presumably find a place in the Education Bill which is to give effect to the long-deferred decision to raise the School-leaving age. Now that that decision is at last announced in a Government programme, there can be no excuse for further delay. The Prime Minister has said that education will come first on the list in the new session. But everything depends on the details of the proposals. What is needed is uniformity in administration, provision against any undue laxity in the granting of exemptions, and a rapid passage of the Bill into law.
In one' respect the Government. declaration is defin- itely unsatisfactory. The Ministry of Labour has flow had nine months in which to consider a permanent scale of allowances to take the place of the " stand- still arrangement " still in operation. Mr. Brown cannot plead that he needs time to evolve a policy. Nor can the Public Assistance Board, with which it lies to propose new regulations and new scales. If results are' not forthcoming in nine months, doubts
may reasonably arise about their appearance at all. Approved, Public Assistance regulations, together with the new measures of insurance promised for agricul- tural and " black-coated " workers, will usefully round off a system of social services which, with all its defects, is still better than any other country, with the possible exception of the Scandinavian States, has been able to construct.
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