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[Earl of Crawford]
7, AUDLEY SQUARE, W.l.
Dictated
18th November 1935.
Our friends are agreeably surprised by the result of the Election, and the Socialists are positively aghast. In spite of marked success, they had expected many more victories. Generally speaking, the Election was quiet and unemotional, except the dead-set made against the two Macdonalds and J. H. Thomas. Elsewhere there was a good deal of well-organised rowdiness, which The Times stupidly pooh-poohed; but it was much more bitter and sustained than the general public realised and, I fancy, has finally dispelled the consoling theory that Socialist rowdiness does us more good than harm. On the contrary, it is clear that, apart from the effect upon those attending the meetings, the result was to intimidate voters throughout the constituencies, and in certain big towns, and in most mining areas, our candidates had serious cause for complaint. As the days went on, the case for the Government grew more clear-cut, more emphatic , and two or three extra days of electioneering would probably have saved 15 or 20 seats.
Nearly half the Socialist victories were in mining constituencies which had been trained and attuned by a very intensive wage campaign, accompanied with a ballot, taken just before the polling day, asking for a vote in favour of an extra 2/- a day - say 2/- per ton on the price of household coal. Such an increase would cause glee to gas, electricity & petrol, which are the most formidable competitors of
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coal, and the miners' leaders, at any rate as far as Lancashire is concerned, indicate that they do not mean to press such a claim to the point of striking. All the same, this particular situation is dangerous, and the solid bloc of miners' representatives in the Rouse of Commons will feel called upon to assert themselves vigorously in Parliament. The Front Opposition Bench is much strengthened, but of course contains many fissiparous elements. A big reconstruction of the Government is imposed, but nothing can be settled until Ramsay Macdonald's future is determined. A National Labour Member in Lancashire is ready to surrender his seat for Ramsay. Others think that in return for a Peerage, a comfortable constituency could be made available in Hampstead, in which case R.M. would for the first time in his life be a resident Member and not a carpet-bagger. A most persistent rumour, however, is that Skelton - who, alas, is very, very ill - might retire from the Scottish Universities: but I cannot believe that the Universities could be represented by a non-graduate, which would strike at the whole basis and justification of giving them special representatives in Parliament.
I am rather surprised to find how little sympathy is excited by Macdonald's defeat. I should have thought that his courage and his serious illness would have conciliated our friends: but memories are long, and his escapades during the War do not seem to be forgotten. Many think that his son could have been less easily spared than Thomas
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who remains unperturbed and unabashable. Universal satisfaction is expressed at the rabbling of Dr. Addison, and also a tenuous measure of regret t Samuel's extinction. Samuel was good at the Home Office during the War, splendid in Palestine, where he forbade all advertisement posters, and in the House of Commons he was so cold-blooded as to arouse admiration. Young Churchill is commiserated, for he made a very plucky fight against great odds, and recovered a position which had been impaired by his personalities during the recent by-election. As for Oxford, the success of A. P. H., the punster, is a fitting sequel to the Union's vote about pacifism. The paucity of women in the new House of Commons is not lamented.
The Foreign Press says that the victory is a personal triumph for Baldwin, and it is noticeable how few of our newspapers have done justice to his speeches ,- shrewd, calm and wise,- but inspiring too, and full of real leadership. They provide the best armoury for our speakers, and his address to some Peace Society was ten times better than their most ardent supporters could ever have heard before. Baldwin's calm, almost amounting to aloofness, in the midst of excited colleagues, is ultra-natural. He has not lost his temper - has not even shewn signs of doing so since he gave a trouncing three or four years ago to Rothermere - or was it to the egregious Beaverbrook? We are fortunate in having Baldwin as leader. People are comparing him to Edward Grey - who, however, was illiterate and never exercised a tithe
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of Baldwin's influence on the country as a whole.
Meanwhile, we are a little puzzled at the alacrity of the Canadian Government in making the commercial deal with Roosevelt. I wonder what the old Senators at Washington will think. I wonder too if in course of time you will pay my brother, Ronald, a visit at Washington. Keep well. I see that the St. Lawrence is closed. I hope I am right in thinking tht you are able to stand up to the frost better than most of us, and that the pressure & burden of a low temperature do not weigh heavily upon your frame.
So keep well,
yours
Crawford & Balcarres
The Lord Tweedsmuir.
