HOMELAND POLITICS

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 March 1929, Page 5

HOMELAND POLITICS

TURN OF THE TIDE ?

BY-ELECTION COMMENTS

(Australian Press Association.) (By Cable—Press Assn.—Copyright.)

LONDON, March»23.

The past week’s miniature “General Election” has been a black one for the Government. The Government fought all five of the by-elections held, which were all for Conservative seats, and the Government has retained only two seats, and those have been with remarkably reduced majorities. Indeed it is difficult for the Government to take consolation from any of the numerous by-elections during the life of the present Government. Those seats which it has held have been retained with considerably reduced majorities, while it has suffered a net loss of fifteen seats —twelve of them going to Labour, and three to the Liberals.

The most recent contests make it as clear as it can reasonably be expected to be made that Labour is stronger to-day in industrial Britain than at any period in history. Labour’s sweeping victory in North Lanark, where Miss Jennie Lee has won by 15,711 votes, against the Conservative’s vote of 9133 and the Liberal candidate’s 2488, may be accepted as a reasonably clear index of the feeling of the industrial centres. But that the Socialist tide runs feebly in rural or semi-rural areas is made abundantly clear from the Holland-with-Boston result, where the Liberals have secured thirteen thousand votes, Labour 9294, the Conservatives 8257, and the Independent 3514. The Conservatives have thus lost seven thousand votes, while the Liberals have increased in the electorate their total by an equal number. Here, therefore, Liberalism has administered a resounding blow to the Government, just as it did at Eddisbury yesterday, which, even in the Free Trade Election of 1923, had remained Conservative.

Labour confesses its open disappointment at its failure in the rural centres, but the Conservative Party has cause, not so much for disappointment, as for alarm. It is apparent that while rural England is refusing to swallow Socialism as its medicine, it is definitely casting around for a new doctor, who seems, opportunely, to have arrived in the fighting personality of Mr Lloyd George. There are many indications, however, that the Liberals will not be left alone to administer succour to the ruralities. Labour, with the lessons which it has learned in the past months, is now likely to withdraw its large forces from the safer’ industrial centres, and to concentrate upon the countryside. But the increase in the Liberal vote is causing many who have preached that Liberalism was a spent force hurriedly to recast their views. The Ministerial organs do not seek to deny that defeatism is over-appar-ent among the Conservatives. Even Mr Baldwin, has made an onslaught on “the waverers and the grousers and the people with cold feet.” MR. L. GEORGE ACTIVE.

Liberalism has taken the centre of the stage, because both the other parties paid it the evidently sincere compliment of concentrating on it their criticism, whereupon this will be an election with the gloves off. Mr Lloyd George is the target. Lord Birkenhead says that Mr Lloyd George “reminds him of a very active wasp beneath an inverted tumbler.” Lord' Melchett (formerly Sir Alfred Mond, and an ex-Liberal) says: Mr Lloyd George has become the Jackanapase of British politics.” Sir Wm. Joynson Hicks (Home Minister) asks: “Is Mr Lloyd George the only man of brains in the world?” Mr Baldwin says that Mr Lloyd George’s feqt are no longer on the ground. • Meanwhile Mr Lloyd George is busy telegraphing to the Liberal victors in picturesque language, such as “The finger of doom.” “Toryism is discredited, and it cannot be repaired.” The Manchester Guardian is editorially welcoming the Liberal victories. It speaks of “the country’s weariness of the present Government and its protracted futility.” The “Morning Post” (Tory) says: “It passed comprehension what the farmers expect from Liberalism.” It also says: “How can they again trust Mr Lloyd George? that arch-deceiver of the rustic maiden.”

The “Daily Express” (Conservative) .says: “To cry that all is well, in the face’ of such electrifying results is neither loyalty nor common sense. The question on everyone’s lips is: ‘ls there time for the Government to save itself?’ The real battle is coming on the question of whether the Government will enter like conquerors or dike a beaten force. Whatever the outcome of the General Selection, the byelections in the past month reveal these significant figures: Labour 92,828, Conservatives 73,331, Liberal 58,068. * Mr Blundell, the new Liberal member for Holland-with-Boston, is the son of an agricultural labourer. He began life as an errand boy. He is now managing director of Blundell’s Ltd., boot factory, at Grimsby. The Liberals are holding ten thousand meetings in April throughout the country.

BOLD POLICY WANTED.

LONDON, March 24.

Mr. J. L. Garvin, writing in the “Observer,” referring to the week’s byelections, says that these had the expected bad result, but not so bad as they might have been. The country demands something which the Cabinet refuses; a bold construction policy, dealing with unemployment. Mr. Baldwin at present is heading to a disaster nearly as black as that of 1922. It is no longer a question of losing a hundred seats. The real danger is losing 150.

GOVT. PROGRAMME-SECRECY.

LONDON, March 24.

The “Daily Express” states that final approval was given by Cabinet policy committees to the Government’s election programme, but it will not be announced until May 9, when Mr Baldwin will address his constituency, which (states the “Daily Telegraph”)

means that the country does not know what the Government is fighting about, until within three weeks of the election. ” ITALIAN ELECTIONS. A GIGANTIC* FARCE. (Received March 25, 8 a.m.) LONDON, March 23. The Italian elections are the strangest ever held. The elections are limited to those who “produce.” This reduced the normal electorate from 12J millions to nine millions of men only. They must vote “yes” or “no,” for a list of four hundred candidates, selected by the Fascist Grand Council from the greater number nominated by thirteen corporations or guilds. The Deputies therefore do 'not represent particular constituencies or party, namely the Fascist sponsors. It is claimed for the system that it abolishes sterile political struggles and makes the Chamber a kind of technical advisory board to the Government.

The tenth anniversary of the foundation of Fascism which was celebrated on Saturday, coincided with the winding up of the election campaign. Thousands of flags waved in Rome. Bells pealed, scores of aeroplanes circled the city, and bands played. The city at nighttime was illuminated. Meanwhile, the four hundred candidates addressed the audiences just as though they were fighting for the seats, whereas they are permitted only this one speech. There aFe no posters, no meetings and no .opposition anywhere. SUPPORT FROM CHURCH. ROME, March 24. The demonstration of adherence to Fascism by Catholic clergy was even more marked in .the provinces than in Rome. - In many centres, clergy headed by Bishops, went to the polls en masse. Other features were the processions of peasants’ workmen marching to the polls with bands and banners. It was stated t at four in the afternoon that 85 per cent had registered I their votes.