PARTIES IN BRITAIN.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17395, 4 March 1922, Page 12

PARTIES IN BRITAIN.

POLITICAL CRISIS GRAVER. UNIONISTS AND THE COALITION. (By Cable—Press Association—Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, March 2. A large meeting of peers and Conservative Unionist members of the House of Commons, held in the House of Commons, adopted a resolution that, in order to restore confidence in the country in view of the approaching elections, there was an urgent need for the reassertion of Conservative-and Unionist principles. Mr L. C. S. Amery, Parliamentary Secretary lo the Admiralty, speaking at the luncheon to Mr Edmund Jowett, referred to the rumours or a prospective divorce of the two Coalition parties. He said he did not believe the position was so serious. The situation was more akin to that of two lovers contemplating matrimony, but faced with the difficulty of divided property, deciding who was bringing the inost intothe common estate,. and fixing the marriage settlements.' ' Ihe "Daily Chronicle" says the political crisis became graver on Wednesday. In pursuance of the desire by the Unionist leaders to consolidate the Coalition ranks, Mr Austen Chamberlain. and 4lr Balfour met Sir George Younger and discussed the difficulties which had arisen owing to Sir George, Younger's public utterances. The latter was not asked to resign, but the grave difficulties in which the Coalition, found itself were stressed. Sit George Younger stood to his guns, said, refused to modify his attitude. The Unionist leaders were much disappointed. The fact is that Sir George Younger based his attitude largely on the advice of the Unionist Party agents, who, the "Chronicle" suggests, do not represent the .feeling of the constituencies.

Attitude of Coalition Liberals. - During Wednesday evening the Liberal membeis of Cabinet dined with Mr Lloyd George at the Savoy Hotel, tho situation. Tfiose present at the Savoy: were:—Mr E. Sfiortt (Secretary for Borne Affairs), > .Air ; "Winston. Churchill (Colonial Secretary), Mr B. S. Montagu (Secretary of State for India), Mr H. A. L. Fisher (Minister for Education), Dr. T. J. Macnamara (Minister of Labour), Sir Gordon Hewart (Attorney-General), Sir Alfred Mond (Minister of Health), Sir Hamair Greenwood (Chief Secretary for land), Captitin F. E. Guest (Secretary • of State, tor Air), Mr R. Monro (Secretary for Sootland), and Mr C. A. MoQurdy (Chief, , Coalition "Whip). To a man they assured Mr Lloyd 1 George that if he felt obliged to resign they .also would-: resign in a body. ' V The feeling among the Liberals is that the Unionist leaders must keep ,-discipline within their, party if the "Coalition is to keep in being. > It is j possible , that if Sir George Younger goes the. l Coalition will extricate itself -from an awkward (situation*. but it ' must be made clear that the -Unionist leaders' will not be contraverted by the party organisation. '' „ ■ * ■> It is understood that After the .l-rUpioitipt discussion, Mr Lloyd: George w serious yiew 'ofT-the-, situation. v ■' > ;• ' v.* .1 i 4 "■ '' 1 i ifi- 4 > | j