POLITICAL SITUATION

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 21, 19 October 1922, Page 7

POLITICAL SITUATION

BRITISH PAPERS FULL OF SPECULATIONS ATTITUDE OF PARTIES TO THE COALITION MR. BONAR LAW A POWERFUL FACTOR ■' The political situation In Britain Is still in suspense, and there is much speculation regarding the outcome of a meeting of the Unionist Party to ba held to-day. > If the party renounces the continuation of the Coalition It is expected that Mr. Lloyd George r will hand over control to a purely Conservative Ministry, which will Immediately face the electors. BY TNMKXAPH.—PMBS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT. London,- October 16. The newspapers are full of speculations on the political situation. Despite Mr. Lloyd George’s indefinite announcements at Manchester, events moved rapidly at the week-end to- * wards a quick ending of the suspense. Mr. Winston Churchill gave a dinner party on Sunday, attended by Mr. Lloyd George and the Liberal members of the Cabinet and bv Mr. Austen Chamberlain, Lord Balfour, and Lord Birkenhead, who definitely favour a continuation, of the Coalition. It is reported that at (the dinner attempts were made to induce Mr. Chamberlain to agree to rush the election as a Coalition without any preliminary Unionist Party meeting. It is understood that. Mr. Chamberlain declined. , Hence the summoning of the Unionist members of the House of Commons to the Carlton Club on Thursday, which, political writers agree, will bo the deciding • factor. At the meeting Mr. Chamberlain is expected to recommend that the Conservative and Liberal wings shall go to the country- as separate entities, but hold themselves ready to co-operate in Parliament after the election. The “Die-hards,” however, will press the meeting to decide that the Conservatives should no longer uphold the Coalition. A decision will be reached in. the shape-of a vote of confidence in Mr. Chamberlain, which his friends believe will be carried. Unionists Support Mr. Chamberlain. At preliminary . meetings of the Unionist Ministers and Under-Secre-taries to-day. a large majority supported Mr. Chamberlain. On the other hand, the'“Die-hards” claim to have the support of many back-benchers. If the Carlton Chib inerting votes against the continuance of the Coalition, Mr. Chamberlain and most of his colleagues will resign from the Government. A powerful factor in the background is believed to be Mr. Bonar Law’s opposition to the continuance of-the Coalition with Mr. Llovd George. If the Unionist Party renounces the continuation of the Coalition, Mr. Llovd George is expected to hand oyer control to a purely Conservative Ministry, which will immediately face the electors. The leaders of all the parties have-made many engagements to speak during the next fortnight. Proposed Conservative Policy. I Messrs. Hewins and Pete have given I notice to move at the National Union-. : Ist, Conference in. November that the .Coalition cease, and, the Conservative I leaders appeal to the country for ■ a majority to enable -ne new Government to carry out . the following, policy;—(1) Maintenance of Entente-with France : (2) adoption of a trade policy confirming the resolutions of-. the Imperial Conferences , in 1917 nhd 1918, with a view to restoring trade and reducing unemployment. 1 ' Labour Party’s Plans. Labour is planning to contest 420 beats, . It cannot afford to waste money on hopeless Conservative strongholds. A party official to-night said the party expected to win 150 to 160 seats’ grid to be strong enough to TtiaM it difficult for , any Government to play fast and loose- with problems. The party did not intend to announce its policy prior to the announcement of ; the dissolution, owing to the fear of having its thunder stolen. —Aus.N.Z. Cable A55n...,,. ' A SHORT STRUGGLE REDUCED MEMBERSHIP OF HOUSE OF COMMONS LABOUR MAY BE SECOND ■LARGEST GROUP 1 London, October 17. The approaching general election will be the shortest political straggle that ever took place in Britain, .and will return the smallest House of Commons for qver a century. The Representation of the People Act, 1918 increased the membership of the House to 707. The establishment t.f the Irish Free State reduces Ireland’s representation at Westminster to thirteen, representing Ulster exclusively. This reduces the membership of the House of Commons to 615. Under the Franchise Act of 1918 all polls must be taken, on the same dav, and on the following day practically the whole of the constitution of the House of Commons will be known. The whole campaign between the dissolution and the declaration of the polls will last three weeks. It is considered that stable Government: will "be impossible, unless some party or group of parties commands 325 votes. Makers of estimates among all parties expect Labour to be the second largest group. Mr. Lloyd George will speak at Leeds and not Newcastle (as previously announced) o’n Saturday. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. CONSERVATIVE PARTY’S POSITION DEPLORABLE POLITICAL EVENTS SHARP CRITICISM BY LORD SALISBURY London, October 17, Lord Salisbury, leader of the “Diehards,” addressed Conservative members of both Houses. Lord Curzon was present. Lord Salisbury said that he could not agree with the views ex pressed by Mr.' Austen diumborla-in n-t Birmingham. The Government’s extravagance, the abandonment of authority in India and Egypt, and the deplorable conditions in Ireland were notorious, and the Conservatives could no longer be responsible for such political events. A crisis such as that

they had just passed through was i a discredit to our foreign policy. 'Hie Conservatives as a> party were entitled to reconsider their position. I hey wanted a united Conservative-Unionist Party.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. CONSERVATIVE PRIME MINISTER CONVICTION OF RANK AND FILE OF PARTY (Rec. October 18, 11.50 p.m.) London, October 18. Lord Long, at Tlammersn.dth, said: “Personally I firmly believe in the Coalition, but cannot disguise from myself that there is a deep-seated feeling among the workers of the Conservative Party that there ought to bo a Conservative Prime Minister. This conviction arises from no feeling against Mr. Lloyd George, and does not come from above, but fryni t-ho rank and file of the party. Wo must not smash, up the Conservative Party in u hurry.”—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. IMMEDIATE ELECTION CERTAIN MR. LLOYD GEORGE SURE OF A MAJORITY (Rec. October 19, 0.50 a.m.) i \ London, October 17. The “Daily Mail” states that the Prime Minister, addressing Coalition Liberal members of the Government, gave important information about the future political (developments. He stated that the issue still depends entirely on the result of the Unionists meeting on Thursday, but it is now narrowed down to two alternatives. If +-he meeting supports Mr. Chamberlain’s plea for a continuance of the Coalition, there will be an immediate dissolution: if it rejects the advice, Mr. Chamberlain, with cither proCoalition Conservative leaders, will resign from the Conservative Partv. The Prime Minister and the Government wifi then resign. It will then he open to the Independent Conservatives to form a new Government if they wish. The inevitable result in either case is an immediate election, .since no Conservative Ministry could carry on in fare nf the nnpesiton created by +hq defections. The Prim? Minister added that he was convinced be could command a large majority at the elections. He intended to appeal to the electors tor the continued co-cnerntion of the Conservatives and Liberals on too grounds that stability was still needed in t‘be conduct of government. —United Service. UNDER-SECRETARY OF WAR RESIGNS (Rec. October 18. 11.50 p.m.) LOndon, October 18. Colonel Sir Robert A. Sandors. Un-der-Secretary of War, has resigned. He was officially requested to defer Ins resignation pending the Unionist meeting on Thursday—Aus.-N:Z. Cable Assn. mr. cecilTharmsworth NOT STANDING ' (Rec. October 19, 0.50 a.m.) , c.' London, October 18. Mr. Cecil Harmsworth has notified his constituency that he will not stand at the next election. He desires to make room for a younger man. Reuter. LABOUR AND THE NATIONAL - -DEBT WOULD MAKE A LEVY ON WEALTH (Red October 18, 11.50 p.m.) , / e London, October 18. Mr. A. Henderson, speaking at Newpert on the election, said the Coalition’s disruption was inevitable. To lighten the burden of the National Debt, the Labour Party would create a war debt redemption fund by a lew on accumulated wealth, beginning at fortunes of £5OOO. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.