STRANGE CONTEST

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 17, 1 November 1935, Page 5

STRANGE CONTEST

CANDIDATE REMAINS SILENT. SPEAKER OF HOUSE OF COMMONS AN UNDAUNTED LABOURITE. United Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 9.15' a.m.) LONDON, October 31. More electioneering is being done by air than formerly. Mr J. H. Thomas is making flights'to help his son, Leslie, who is contesting Leek, in Staffordshire. i

Mr Ramsay MacDonald had a field prepared at Seaham, to which ’planes will bring helpers. The queerest contest is at Daventry, where . all the talking is done by the Labourite, Mr Barnes, who is opposing the Speaker of the House of Commons (Captain Fitzroy). Mr Barnes even broadcasts from a motor-ear, but Mr Speaker is silent. An interesting contest .is taking place in the Hillsborough division of Sheffield, where a Labourite, Mr A. V. Alexander, who was First Lord of the Admiralty in the last 'Labour Cabinet, was defeated in 1931 by a Conservative. Mr Alexander has since rejected offers of safe seats at by-elec-tions in order to fight to regain Hillsborough.

THE PERILS OF LABOUR. FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC FIELDS. LONDON, Oct. 30. Mr Neville Chamberlain, addressing the City of London electors, said that the Government’s actions Lad, given the League a new lease of life. Other countries would have the same conndence in a Labour Government, but would lack, since the death of Mr Arthur Henderson, a single Statesman experienced, in foreign affairs. The first effect of a change of Government would be the rhin of the foreign policy supported by the entire nation. Domestically confidence would disappear in a day, securities would drop like » stone, everyone would hasten to draw money froln the banks.' London would be drained of foreign capital, and the prices of foodstuffs and rates of inteiest would rise.

STEADINESS OF OPINION. IMPRESSION* ON FOREIGNERS. LONDON, _Oct. 30. “It is the steadiness of British opinion which impresses the foreigner. A vote for a Government candidate is a vote for a National front/’ said Mr J. H. Thomas at Derby. He asked if Lord Snowden’s judgment could be trusted when he suggested that those whom he had accused in 1931 of running from their responsibilities should now be entrusted with the government.

TONS OF LITERATURE. ALL HEADQUARTERS ACTIVE. LONDON, October 30. All members of the House of Commons are now working hard in their constituencies, and there is feverish activity at all headquarters in London, literature being dispatched by the ton. The National Government has issued 36 separate leaflets, totalling 7,000,000. Baron Mottistone announces that while he agrees with Mr DL Lloyd George’s reconstruction programme, he disagrees completely with his foreign policy. Labour is fighting against itself in several constituencies, official Labourites opposing supporters of the Independent Labour Party.