BRITISH POLITICS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 November 1928, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS

MH LLOYD GEORGE AND THE NEXT PARLIAMENT.

LONDON. Oct. 16

Following on the Socialist and Conservative Conic-rentes the Liberal* have met at Yarmouth. .Mr Lloyc George addressed the delegates ant defined the position of the party aftei the genera! election.

As to the next election, Mr Lloyc George said: “ If it were a straight fight, I predict to you that the Tory party would not get 200 members it the next Parliament. There are three predictions 1 will make. First, there will he an overwhelm mg majority of votes in condemnation of the present Government. They arc in a minority of 1,000,0C0 now. There will he many more millions next time You will have an avalanche. “ The next prediction 1 make ithat there will lie an enormous acres sion of strength to the- Liberal fold and, “ The third is that whatever party will he in a majority it will not he the Socalist.”

Whatever the parliamentary positin’ might be after the general election said Mr Lloyd George. Liberals conic' not enter into an understanding formal or informal, with any party, it any circumstances, to advance measur es or policy in which they, disbelieved and which" in their hearts they knev to he detrimental to the interests of the country. For instance, wliateve* Government was in power, Liberalwould resist every attempt to oveithrow the great fiscal system upoi which the trade and commerce of the country were built. That system had us the greatest internationa trade in the world. Other nations at Geneva had admitted regretfully tha* our policy was the right one. but tha* they could not get their feet out of tie protectionist stocks. Liberals wouh also resist every attempt to set whn was called the Socialist State and substitute the nationalisation of all tie means of production, distribution, an< exchange for private enterprise.

1024 NOT TO BE REPEATED. He was not blind to the fact tha' there was a vast partliamentary torn tory common to all men of progressiveminds in all parties which they could agree to cultivate without abandoning any of their, party traditions and ideals. But the conditions of co-oper-ation and understanding must Ik honourable to all and humiliating to none. Those who had been in the 1924 parliament would know what hi meant. They would most decided!y decline even to contemplate the possibility of a repetition of the experiment of 1924, which had proved so disastrous. It was only justifiable as an experiment. It was no fault of the Liberals that it had failed. But it could not be repeated, and in his judgment the Socialist Party had, by their ineptitude in that situation, thrown away the last chance they would get in this generation of forming and carrying through a Socialist Administration.

“ MISMANAGEMENT AND RUIN.”

Other points in Air Lloyd George’s speech were: “ Our main concern will be to consider the best-, way of advancing certain ideas and promoting certain practical measures which we regard as essential to the well-being of the nation and the advancement of the cause of peace, pressing on a general measure of disarmament as the only security for peace; a firm and hold grappling with the national emergency with a view to the position of trade and employment. “This will include comprehensive measures for reconditioning the counthry, development of national resources, cleansing the land of slums, solution of the problem of transport, and a measure of temperance reform. “Liberalsm must expect no quarter from Socialists or Tories. In fact, these parties are intriguing separately and together to destroy Liberalism, both in Parliament and out of it. “That is being done because, if Liberalism is got out of the way. Government will he Socialist and I om in regular succession. “There will then bo no Liberals to interfere with mismanagement, muddle, and ruin.”