WORKING OUT DETAILS OF THE PARTY’S POLICY.
FIRST MEETING OF THE NEW CABINET.
BY OUR PARLIAMENTARY CORRESPONDENT
Mr. Macdonald has moved with great speed in the matter of setting his Ministers to work. Within less than twenty-four hours of the time when he kissed hands on appointment as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury he was presiding over the first Cabinet Council of the first Socialist Government in this country. Mr. Baldwin is making preparations to leave 10, Downing-street, but remains its occupant for the present, and the new Prime Minister has not yet begun to use his official residence even as an office.
The Cabinet meeting, however, was held in the historic Cabinet room, and was timed to commence at four o’clock. Naturally, the public displayed considerable interest in the event, and, despite the dismal character of the weather, there were many spectators to witness the arrival of members of the Government. The Prime Minister walked across to 10, Downing-street from the Foreign Office a few minutes before four, and was joined very punctually in the Cabinet room by all his colleagues. It is reported that Mr. F. O. Roberts, whose appointment as Minister of Pensions was officially notified last night, was among the visitors to 10, Downing-street, but it is understood that he will not be a member of the Cabinet.
It is announced that the following Ministers were present at the Cabinet Council: The Right Hon. J. Ramsay Macdonald, Lord Parmoor of Frieth, Viscount Haldane of Clean, the Right Hon. J. R. Clynes, the Right Hon. Philip Snowden, the Right Hon. A. Henderson, the Right Hon. J. H. Thomas, the Right Hon. Stephan Walsh, Viscount Chelmsford, the Right Hon. Sidney Webb, the Right Hon. John Wheatley, the Right Hon. Charles Trevelyan, the Right Hon. Noel Buxton, the Right Hon. Tom Shaw, the Right Hon. William Adamson, the Right Hon. Vernon Hartshorn, Colonel the Right Hon J. C. Wedgwood, and the Right Hon. F. W. Jowett.
An official communiqué was issued after the meeting in these terms: The Cabinet held its first meeting at 10, Downing-street this afternoon at four p.m., and sat for two hours. Preliminary decisions were taken in regard to a number of questions, including unemployment, housing, and agriculture, and those affecting ex-service men, with a view to effecting immediate improvements in administration, and to working out the details of the policy to be announced when Parliament meets.
There was much coming and going at Buckingham Palace during the forenoon in connection with the transfer of the seals of office to members of the new Ministry. Members of Mr. Baldwin’s Government commenced to arrive at the Palace shortly after half-past ten for the purpose of surrendering their seals. They included the Marquis Curzon of Kedleston, the Duke of Devonshire, the Earl of Derby, Viscount Peel, Sir Douglas Hogg, Sir W. Joynson-hicks, Sir Montague Barlow, and Mr. Bridgeman. It was nearly half-past eleven before all the Unionist ex-ministers had taken their departure from the Palace.
After a brief interval – a matter of only a few minutes – the new Ministers began to arrive in order to receive their seals, and, in the case of the majority of them, to be sworn as members of the Privy Council. It is announced that
the Prince of Wales was present at the Council held by the King at which the oath was administered to the incoming Ministers. The attendance of the Prime Minister was not necessary, but practically all the members of his Cabinet went to the Palace, among the number being Viscount Haldane, Lord Parmoor (the new Lord President of the Council), Mr. Philip Snowden, Mr. J. H. Thomas, Mr. Stephen Walsh, Viscount Chelmsford, Brig.-general C. B. Thomson, Mr. Arthur Henderson, Sir Sidney Olivier, Mr. Sidney Webb, Mr. J. R. Clynes, Mr. Vernon Hartshorn, and Mr. Tom Shaw.
The Council was held at noon, and in less than half an hour the ceremony, which had called for the visit to the Palace of the incoming Ministers was concluded. Armed as they now were with full authority to enter upon their duties, most of the Ministers lost no time in making the acquaintance of the leading permanent officials in their respective departments. Mr. Macdonald will not take up his residence at 10, Downing-street for a few days, and was at work yesterday morning in his room at the House of Commons. In the afternoon he visited the Foreign Office.
UNIONIST PARTY AFFAIRS.
There was very little doing in Unionist circles yesterday. Ex-ministers were engaged in winding up affairs in their departments in preparation for the incoming Socialist Administration. The rank and file of the party, however, relieved from attendance in Parliament, had parted on their several ways. Only if it is decided to hold the party meeting before Feb. 12 will they be called together again before Parliament reassembles. About this there is no surety at the moment. In certain quarters it is thought that there would be an advantage in the leader of the party being able to face the new Government fortified by a vote of confidence from his followers. On the other hand, there is a feeling that nothing is to be gained by precipitancy. So far no action has been taken, and nothing will be decided for a few days at least. In the ordinary course a meeting of the Council of the National Unionist Association, at which the chairman for the ensuing year will be elected, should be held on Feb. 12, the day on which Parliament is due to reassemble. Whether this conjunction of events will be regarded as inopportune is so far uncertain. Although the Council of the Unionist Association and the Parliamentary party are quite independent bodies, the decisions of one might react on the other, and it is quite possible that there may be a readjustment of the dates of meeting in order to suit the altered circumstances.
Changes are announced in connection with the 1900 Club, one of the agencies which does valuable service for the Unionist party. The club was originally formed in 1906 from members of the then House of Commons, Unionist Peers, and candidates for Parliamentary honours. Since then the membership has been considerably enlarged. Up to the present time the position of secretary has been held by Sir Thomas Cornyn Platt, whose resignation is now announced, and although he will continue to give the benefit of his extensive experience in an advisory capacity the active duties of the office are to be undertaken by Mr. Eric Dunstan, who during the war served as Captain in the 7th Buffs from 1914 to 1916, when he was invalided out. Mr. Dunstan afterwards acted as Vice-consul at Seville, Secretary to the Embassy at Madrid, and on the staff of the Legation at The Hague. For nearly two years he was Private Secretary to the Governor of Fiji, and latterly has been connected with the Central Unionist organisation at headquarters.