ELECTION COMING.

Grey River Argus, 13 October 1922, Page 5

ELECTION COMING.

BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

ENGLISH PAPER'S VIEWS

CONSERVATIVES THREATEN COALITION.

GEORGE’S RACE NEARLY RUN. I [A. and N.Z. Cable Association.] LONDON, October 11. | The “Daily Chronicle” says: It is us certain as things can be that there will be au election this side of Christmas. The only doubt is whether the election can take place before the meeting of Parliament in November. ■The Prime Minister is in a lighting mood. Mr Chamberlain has arranged the Birmingham meeting in support of Mr Lloyd George. It is hoped that lie will deal faithfully with the Conservatives who are trying to break up I the Coalition. Mr Chamberlain is giving loyal support to Mr Lloyd George. Reports from the constituencies show that not a few Conservative associations are threatening revolt as a prelude to the annual Unionist conference in November. Mr Lloyd George’s friends in the Coalition favour an early general election. Some think that Lloyd George should retire and allow Mr Chamberlain to form a Cabinet, but it is understood Mr Lloyd George would advise the King to dissolve Parliament in such, circumstances. Sir R. S. Horne (Chancellor of Exchequer) has postponed his visit to tho United States to discuss the funding of war debts, and Colonel Amery has postponed his visit to Canada.

The “Westminster Gazette” declares that Mr Lloyd George is more anxious about the revolt in the Coalition ranks than about the attacks ot the Opposition. All movements be hind the scenes indicate a revival of the struggle which elicited his threat-

ened resignation earlier in tho year. He is still determined to remain master in his own house. He will not tolerate the hostile criticism to which he is being subjected by Tory critics, and will demand assurances that he will not be stabbed in the back by the Tories at the forthcoming annual meetings. There must be no talk of a vote of censure, or any attack 1 » the

commons on his Near Eastern policy. Mr Lloyd George is very angry and will display this anger in some dramatic way. He may make a sudden appeal to the country dragging the Coalition with him willy nilly before the Tories have time to escape from the ruins. Alternatively ho might retire in disgust for a time in which to meditate upon some plan of action which would be sure to be distasteful to some of his present colleagues. Mr Bonar Law is being invited to lead the Tories apart from tnc coalition, but he is n.ot prepared to make a hostile move against Mr Lloyd George, but will use his influence to save the Coalition.

FRENCH SPECULATION. ‘WATCH WITH BROKEN SPRING.’ PARIS, October 11. A writer in “Le Petit Parisian, ” referring to the demand for Mr Lloyd George’s retirement, says that according to the best fudges of English political custom, Mr Lloyd George should have resigned in February or March. The close of the Genoa Conference was the turning point. The Russians were the chief cause of hi> set-back. At present, he is like a watch with a broken spring. There is, however, no certainty that he wiH hearken to the cry for his retirement and if he fell, he would only fall for a while.