Churchill Wins 306-275 Vote Of Confidence

This story was published in the Feb. 1, 1952, edition of the Lewiston Tribune.

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London, Jan. 31 —(AP)— Prime Minister Churchill’s conservative government won a strong vote of confidence in Britain’s house of commons tonight on its program of grim austerity to help win peace. The vote was 306 to 275.

Liberals joined the conservatives in this all-out test of strength of the Churchill government, which took office three months ago after six years of labor rule.

The vote hinged on approval of Chancellor of the Exchequer R. A. Butler’s program to cut British imports by 150-million pounds ($420,000) a year, and institute rigid new domestic economies.

The government has a majority of 14 over all other parties.

During the bitter two-day debate which preceded the vote the laborites, spearheaded by former Prime Minister Attlee coupled their attack on conservative changes in the tax-supported health services they had instituted with sharp criticism of the United States for some of the economic troubles facing Britain.

During the debate, Attlee admitted Britain’s economic crisis is grave, but declared the Churchill regime was mixing “class legislation” with belt-tightening measures.

Attlee insisted there is need of “far greater cooperation in the world” to put Britain on an even keel.

He declared:

“Today the United States has an altogether disproportionate influence upon the economic affairs of the world, due to her immense size.”