The Cabinet Changes
No greater compliment could be paid to the United States than to send as Ambassador to Washington the man who has been Foreign Secretary for nearly three years, who is fully acquainted with all the ramifications of British foreign policy. and has defined the ideals which should determine international policy in terms so similar to those employed by President Roose- velt himself. His appointment leads to important changes in the Government. Mr. Eden's return to the Foreign Office was clearly indicated. Throughout the whole period of his conduct of foreign affairs from 1935 to 1938 he fought for the main- tenance of those liberal principles in Europe which are the basis of our policy today and which we are fighting to pre- serve and extend. He went first to the Foreign Office upon a wave of popular feeling which resented the proposed Hoare- Laval concessions over Abyssinia; he left it when he was unable to consent to further compromise with Mussolini. The whole spirit of his political life is in tune with that of Mr. Churchill's Government and the country today. His promo- tion creates a vacancy at the War Office, which is to be filled by Captain Margesson. His reputation chiefly rests upon his forceful and, as some have thought, unbending conduct of the office of Government Chief Whip. Lord Cranborne, the Dominions Secretary, is to go to the House of Lords, where be will succeed Lord Halifax as chief spokesman for the Govern- ment. This is an excellent arrangement, for Lord Cranborne was with Mr. Eden at the Foreign Office as Under-Secretary, and retired with him, and will be singularly well qualified to express the mind of the Government on foreign affairs in the Upper House.
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