The Evening Star MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1923 THE BRITISH ELECTIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 18503, 10 December 1923, Page 6

The Evening Star MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1923 THE BRITISH ELECTIONS.

“Mr Baldwin's first duty is still to provide the King with a Government capable oi governing,” says the London ‘Times,’ commenting on what it terms “ the completeness of the defeat of the programme upon which everything had been staked and the whole election fought.” ‘ The Times’ attributes the result to the fact that ' tho mass of the electors are convinced that tariffs will raise prices.” If, in order to ensure adequate support of his programme, Mr Baldwin had to convince the mass of the electors that tariffs would not raise prices, then bis task was impossible all along, because he would have had to demonstrate as true what is not true, and, moreover, what is universally considered to bo so obviously false as not to he considered arguable. Protection does raise prices. The.reason why many British manufacturing firms asked for Protection was that they might obtain a payable price for their products, and thus remain in competition with foreign rivals instead of being steadily forced out of production. What Mr Baldwin needed to do to win the election was to persuade the mass o! the electors that it would be better for them to be employed, and thus be in a position to buy home-manufactured articles, than to be oat of work, with only the dole out of which to find the means, if possible, to purchase imported goods at cheaper prices. Tho election results show a tendency on the part of the mass of the electors to look at tho matter from the consumer’s point of view and not the producer’s. In view of the large amount of unemployment this accurately enough reflects the present position of too many of them; but it is not tho way to right the position. Tho needs of the immediate present have outweighed considerations of existence in the not distant future. Such is one of the reactions of the dole.

It is apparent that Britain must now try to work out her own salvation independent of the politicians. "If only they would allow her to do so!” is probably the heartfelt wish that many a hard-working Englishman has inwardly expressed, particularly in these later days of adversity. It is a regrettable feature that all the comments of politicians and political writers deal not with the disturbed state of tho country, but with the perplexing state of parties in the now House of Commons. If we take Mr Baldwin’s statements at their face value, his aim in holding an election was to provide a stable Government to carry out a definite plan for alleviating unemployment. Tho country did not approve of that definite plan. It must be given credit for earnestly wishing to alleviate unemployment; bub the result of its visit to the polls is that it has deprived itself of a stable Government, and from present appearance of any hope of a serious parliamentary attack on the unemployment problem. Whatever compromise may be made at Westminster—a working arrangement or a Coalition—its results are not likely to bo more than of a negative character. Labor, elated by its further advance in the constituencies, scorns any idea of doing anything but walk by itself. The chief organ ot the Conservatives attributes the present set-back to the fortunes of the party chiefly to tho "degradation” of the Conservatives arising out of the bondage of tho last Coalition. The Liberals, apparently, are unable to do anything but derive an acute but acid satisfaction from the destruction of their opponents' constructive programme, and indulge a feeling of surprised delight that Liberalism has not been given its death sentence also at the polls. Such moods as this do not foreshadow any promise of a working arrangement, lot alone a Coalition. Labor boasts, the Conservatives are inclined to recrimination among themselves, and the Liberals jeer.

It is said that onlookers see most of tile game. The German papers, also some of the French ones, predict the return of Mr Lloyd George to power. The fact that this election has bereft him of the following ho had in the House before it reunited the wings of Liberalism has little bearing on such a contingency. During any regrouping he has shown a remarkable facility for detaching himself easily aud placing himself at the head of some other group which lakes his political fancy, and, what is more marvellous still, of being accepted by it as leader. Some people call this sort of tiling versatility; other) call it effrontery. But, whatever its name, there must surely bo a limit to it. Events of the next few weeks may show whether in his case that limit has yet been reached. Possibly it has act, for undeniably Mr Lloyd George retains a great hold on the popular imagination. His electioneering tour proves it. And what other British politician can be said to ‘be a popular idol? Were the office of Prime Minister an elective one, Mr Lloyd George would be, in racing parlance, a “ moral ” to bead the poll.