PARTRIDGE, 'AND A PULL ALL TOGETHER...', INK AND CRAYON, 1931

241 by 343mm., pen and ink with crayon, signed and inscribed ‘– and a pull all together’, mounted, framed and glazed

EXHIBITED:
‘The Illustrators. The British Art of Illustration 1800-2014’, Chris Beetles Gallery,
November 2014-January 2015, no 86

Punch, 26 August 1931, page 210

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The Wall Street Crash of 1929 had sunk Britain into depression and by 1931, the country was facing a major economic crisis. Unemployment had risen to two and a half million and the loss of foreign confidence in Britain had been demonstrated by the withdrawal from the City of some £66 million in gold and foreign exchange. Neville Chamberlain had diagnosed the core of the problem in the growth of government expenditure over income, a view that was borne out by the May Report, published at the end of July. The report recommended economies of £96.5 million, a programme that the Labour government of Ramsay Macdonald could not put into effect. Baldwin had wanted Labour to meet its responsibilities and produce effective proposals to balance the budget, or failing that, leave office. As Baldwin attempted to distance himself from the crisis during the summer of 1931 by holidaying in France, he was represented in meetings and discussions by Chamberlain, who believed that a national all-party government was the best option for the country. On 22 August, the collapse of the pound forced Baldwin to return from holiday and two days later, the National Government was formed. Macdonald was to remain as Prime Minister, while Baldwin held the second position in the government as Lord President of the Council. The objective of the government was to maintain the parity of the pound and to impose set economies. Once this had been achieved, parliament would be dissolved and party politics would resume as normal. However, ongoing events would ensure that the National Government would remain in place until 1940. Partridge’s cartoon, published the day after its formation, depicts the three most important members of the National Government attempting to haul the nation’s finances towards solvency, in a tug of war anchored by John Bull.