Labor Belabored

In an unusually perspicuous article, excepting the vagaries of style considered essential to The Saturday Evening Post, Isaac F. Marcosson, famed cosmic journalist, discussed Britain's Labor regime.

" What has the Labor Government done . . . ?' [he asked].

" 'Nothing; but they have done it nicely,' was the reply."

Unemployment Discussing the gentle inactivity of Labor,* the Post journalist says that unemployment is likely to be "the Nemesis of the new order." Mr. MacDonald won many seats in the last election and was allowed to reside at No. 10 Downing Street because oi his promised panacea for the vexatious unemployment riddle. He said: "I object to the unemployed being fooled any longer. . . . The Labor Party alone has a positive remedy for unemployment. . . . We.will take office because in dealing with unemployment we believe we have a program and a power that no other party possesses."

But two months ago he was forced to exclaim in the House of Commons: "In regard to pledges and their fulfilment, why should not I confess that we are a little innocent in this matter? If we are without experience, things which seemed very simple to carry out become very complicated and difficult when we become members of a Cabinet responsible for them."

This seems solid foundation for Mr. Marcosson's contention that the Government has pursued a policy of "masterly inactivity," expressed, for one thing, in conspicuous failure to solve the unemployment problem -there are still 1,000,000 men out of work. ... A unique situation summed up in the phrase, Labor without labor."

Housing Scheme. Another of Labor's proteges was the Housing Scheme* a plan to build 2,500,000 houses during 15 years, to be paid for (according to the Labor Government) in 40 years at a total cost of more than $6,000,000,000'.** The bill which contains the Housing Scheme is expected to come up during the Autumn session of the House of Commons and not a few political critics have forecast the defeat of the Government. But such prophecies are premature; the Opposition may think it wiser to let the Government remain "in office," rather than risk a referendum to the people on the Housing Scheme, which is popular, and which might result in the Labor being returned "to power."

"Society." What is to be the ultimate effect of office and society-splashing on the Laborites ? Said the cosmic sage,

"It will constitute a permanent hangover for various of the horny-handed who have mounted to ministerial and other eminence. It is summed up in the sentence -Life will never be the same again. I must except a man of the type of Ramsay MacDonald, who brought a real cultural background to the post of Premier.

The truth of the matter is that not only do some of the Socialists like the trimmings and social by-products of power but they will miss them once they retire from public life. Incidentally, they have cultivated expensive tastes -that is, expensive as compared with the former mode of life. A story is told of a certain high Labor official who is said to have exclaimed during one of the many crises that the Government has faced: 'If I go out, who will pay my tailor ?' "

The journalist proceeded to quote one of the many stories current in London about Laborites and their wives in Society. To a peer's residence was invited a "high Labor personage" and his wife.

"After dinner the wife of this particular Labor person went to her hostess and said that she was leaving, whereupon the lady of the house said : 'You must not think of going. There is to be a reception later on and many interesting people are coming.'

" 'No,' retorted the Labor wife. 'We must be off. My shoes are tight, my stays are tight and my husband is tight.'"

* Admittedly, the Labor Government has not scored a success in its domestic policies, but in the conduct of foreign affairs, Mr. Marcosson's adverse criticism is not fair. Before Labor could do anything it had to create a favorable atmosphere and most of its first six months' term of office was consecrated to this necessary prerequisite to an active foreign policy.

* The Conservative Government had a Housing Scheme, cheaper and spread over only 20 years.

** The British public debt is about $33,834,839,262.39.