THE HOUSE'S CONFIDENCE

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 151, 30 June 1925, Page 4

THE HOUSE'S CONFIDENCE

Obviously the Leader of the Opposition took the right course last night when he declined to vote/upon a want-of-confidence amendment' while still discussing fusion with the Government Party. Had he and; his party voted with Labour they would have cast a doubt upon their own sincerity in seeking union, and had they voted "with the Government they would have announced, in effect, that they were prepared to enter an unconditional partnership. No doubt the Labour Party had thought of, these things, and merely wished to test the Liberal Party strength— to see if any members were prepared to walk over to the Government without further parley or if any were prepared to express disapproval of fusion by -siding with Labour. The result cannot have pleased Labour. Two Independent Liberals remained -to vote—one with the Government and one with Labour. But even the significance of their' votes must not be overstated. Mr. Poland was merely following the course that he has adopted hitherto, and his opposition to the Government does not indicate that ho is prepared to support Labour in office. Nor does Mr. Atmore's vote show more than that he will be no party to Labour plans, but will, as an Independent, support the Reform Government while retaining liberty of action. Mr. Atmore, indeed, has been so warm a supporter of fusion that it would be doing him the gravest injustice to assume that his vote last night was an indication that he was prepared to cast in his lot with Reform without waiting for the outcome of the negotiations. It would be much more correct to say that he refused to aid any endeavour of the Labour Party to embarrass the Government while the discussions are proceeding.

This was also the attitude of the Liberal Leader and his followers, and a perfectly correct attitude in the circumstances. If, unhappily, fusion should./not be brought about there will be ample time for the renewal of party warfare. The least that both parties to the negotiations can now do is to observe a genuine truce, both in Parliament and outside. The selection of candidates might well be postponed for a'time, in accordance .'with this priuciple. "With several months to go before the election il surely cannot bo pleaded that a. delay of a week or U;t» would

be greatly to the detriment of either party. This point, indeed, is of the utmost importance, for any fusion to be thoroughly successful must have the endorsement of the electpratej and that endorsement cannot be given effectively if candidates are chosen before the question of unity is decided. That is why it is essential that unity should be brought about before the election. It has been suggested that even so far as they have gone the negotiations have committed the Liberal Leader and debarred,, him, for the future, from taking* his place "in tho middle of the road." No doubt this is true, just as it is true that lleform, haviug , made overtures to the Liberals three years ago, cannot' now reject' an alliance without submitting proof that the Liberals of to-day are not the same as those Liberals who were sought as partners in 1923. Failing such proof what is there to cause the failure of negotiations— if they are sincere'? '