S. HAMMERSMITH BY-ELECTION

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25736, 23 February 1949, Page 5

S. HAMMERSMITH BY-ELECTION

BOTH SIDES ATTACH IMPORTANCE CANDIDATES’ TACTICS (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, February 22. All the indications are that the interest in the South Hammersmith byelection and the political importance attached to it will be greater even than in the struggle at Edmonton, when the Conservatives had their first notable success ‘at a by-election. This morning. Labour Party wits are exercising themselves in deriding a march of 1200 young Conservatives through Hammersmith on Saturday afternoon. Mentioning that the procession was led by two children, eight and 10 years of age, the “Daily Herald,” in its account of the demonstration, says that this was to show “how early in life young Conservatism can be contracted.” Describing what it called the self-conscious attitude of the marchers, the “Daily Herald” says: “Of course, one would much rather be at a Rugger match if it weren’t so necessary to fight these dreadful Socialists who make Daddy so angry. This will show them that youth—we mean decent youth like us. not the cads—is against collectivisation or whatever it is.” It is agreed that the two candidates. Mr Anthony Fell I Conservative) and Mr Thomas Williams (Labour), are exceptionally well matched. Mr Fell, who is the son of Commander Fell, R.N., who lived in New Zealand after his retirement, has some knowledge of conditions in the Dominions and Is enthusiastically preaching support for the Commonwealth on the lines advocated by the Beaverbrook press. This has gained him the support of the “Daily Express” group, which has given him morf space than any Conservative by-election candidate since the war. Mr Williams, a former Baptist minister now studying at Oxford, relies very much upon the moral appeal of Socialism, as expounded successfully in the Gravesend by-election by Sir Richard Acland. Mr Williams is making considerable capital of his boyhood background as a miner's son. Mr Churchill’s intended last-minute tour of Hammersmith in aid of Mr Fell indicates the imoortance the Conservatives attach to this camaign. Labour Party headquarters, it is reported, are now being asked to provide a speaker of similar strength to offset the effect of Mr Churchill’s appeal. It will be interesting to see whether the Labour Party will drop its rule against Ministers’ taking part in byelection campaigns.