WESTMINSTER CONTEST

Evening Post, Volume 65, Issue 65, 17 March 1924, Page 7

WESTMINSTER CONTEST

HOTTEST FOR MANY YEARS

FOUR CANDIDATES IN FIELD.

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.)

(ASJ3TKALIAN-NBW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) LONDON, 15th March. The Westminster Abbey by-election has developed into the hottest contest for many years, largely owing to Winston Churchill's independent antiSocialist candidature, .which, has been blessed by many leading Conservatives, despite the fact that there is an official Conservative candidate in the field. The four contestants—Otho Nicholson (Conservative),- Winston Churchill (Independent), Scott Duckers (Liberal), ami Fenner Brockway (Labour) —are fighting their hardest morning and night. Each is convinced of success. Churchill relies upon the direct antiSocialist appeal to draw votes from both Liberals and Conservatives in the ! electorate. On the otner hand, it is thought that the splitting of the Conservative vote between Nicholson aud Churchill may let Labour in. ' LABOUR'S BATTLE Churchill himself emphasises the fact that the Labour man is his real opponent, not Nicholson. The. election is regarded as most important, as likely to show whether Labour can be fought successfully by an anti-Socialist party commanding the support of both Liberals and Conservatives, or whether the allegiance to the parties is still strong enough to make the three-party system inevitable for . some time to come. So far as Labour is concerned it' is admitted on all sides that the Labour candidate is fighting an uphill battle in a Conservative stronghold like Westminster Abbey. The ' Press attitude is as complex as the election itself. Churchill is being supported by tho Rothmere and Beaverbrook Press, as well as the "Daily Telegraph," the latter on the ground that Churchill's anti-Socialist leadership is needed by the Commons and the country. TRIBUTES TO CHURCHILL A notable development during the week-end was Lord Balfour's letter to Churchill commending his candidature, on the ground of his desire to see Churchill once more use his brilliant gifts in the House of Commons. A n;ore amusing, development was Bernard Shaw's letter to Brockway, promising his vote, and adding: "Please don't tell anyone, as nothing would terrify the Westminster voter more' than the prospect of voting with yours faithfully." He continued: "I should like to vote for Churchill, because I am the only man alive who cares to confess that he thought Gallipoli a good idea and still thinks that it would have justified itself if it had been carried out as ifc was conceived. But regarding Russia, Churchill wants Tsardom back." Thore were extraordinary scenes at Essex Hall in the Strand to-night, when the four candidates gave their views on tha League of Nations. There seemed little difference in the candidates' views, but there \vas much difference in their reception. Churchill buttoned his coat and remained with arms folded for five minutes while the audience booed and cheered. Eventually he received a good hearing.