THE LIBERAL SPLIT.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 76, 29 March 1920, Page 5

THE LIBERAL SPLIT.

PREMIER IN GOOD FORM. DENIES ATTACKING WORKERS. BOASTING MR. A3QUITH. (By Cable.—rioss Association.—Copyright.) (Received 0 a.m.) LONDON, Marco 28. There was a piquant situation when Mr. Lloyd George was entertained by the leading Radical club in the same room as that in which Mr. Asquith spoke ou Wednesday. There was a large gathering, gome being active eupportere of the Coalition. Others present, who went expecting a lively rejoinder to Mr. Asquith were not disappointed. Mr. Lloyd George was in his most combative mood, and hard hits against his Liberal and Labour opponents again and again aroused loud laughter and cheere. The speech proved that the Premier was in. no way afraid to take up the Liberal challenge. He said; "It is cheap and sloppy commonplace talk to cay 1 attack class. The working class is not responsible for the Socialist programme. The vast majority of workmen repudiate it." He warned Mr. Aequith as an old friend not to walk too far along the towing path with Lords Northcliffe and Rothcrmere. Here Mr. Lloyd George paused, and added: "Unless he can ewim." (Loud laughter.) In another effective passage he twitted Mr. Asquith and Mr. Runciman with abandoning the Paris resolutions which they professed to protect as the key of the industries and to prevent dumping. "They don't like to talk about the Paris resolutions now. They were fine babies once. Now Mr. Asquith i» abandoning his war babies, while Mr. Runciman says he will kill and strangle them the first chance he gets," declared the Premier, amid an outburst of laughter. TITLES TO "CROOKS." CHARGE AGAINST PREMIER. (Received 1.30 p.m.* LONDON, March 28. Brigadier-General Page-Croft, member of the House of Commons, at the national convention, issued a challenge to Mr. Lloyd George, declaring that he was prepared to swear before a Royal Commission that the Prime Minister had recommended titles to men of moral illfame and to men who were financial crooks.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.) ' CONFIDENCE IN MR. ASQUITH. (Received 0 a.m.) LONDON, March 28. The Executive of the National Liberal Federation passed a unanimous vote of confidence in Mr. Asquith, and approving of his attitude, as outlined in his speech.—(A. and N.Z. Cable.)