BRITISH ELECTIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 May 1929, Page 6

BRITISH ELECTIONS

LABOUR HOPES. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). LONDON, May 25. Mr Ramsay MacDonald has sent a letter to all of the Labour candidates, stating:—“Wc are now at the end of a historic: fight. The campaign is going with an irresistible swing, north, south, east and west, to a sweeping Labour victory. My two thousand miles tour of the cities, towns and villages in 'England and Scotland has been a wonderful inspiration and encouragement. Everywhere I have found people—the women no less than the men—determined to root out the Tories, who have sacrificed their interests and mismanaged their affairs.’’ LLOYD GEORGE’S CONFIDENCE. LONDON, May 24. Mr Lloyd George, Leader of the Liberal Party, in an election address, stated; “Reports from every part of Britain are indicating a sensational revival of trust in Liberalism,., and a general desire to see the affairs of the nation in the hands of a Liberal Administration. The greatest world issue is that of peace,-but the acid test as to whether the peace pacts mean anything is disarmament; If ' tire 'Governments have confidence in the League of Nations, the Kellogg Pact and the Washington Treaties, they will cut down their swollen armaments, to a 'police level. If they continue, to.spend money on armaments and organise conscript nations in arms, then jt shows that they trust war, not peace! We are spending 112 millions sterling on armaments every year but only one hundred thousand pounds yearly on the League of Nations. My first object, if elected, will be to urge a practical response to President Hoover’s offer to co-operate simultaneously in a large international reduction ’of armaments. A conference of the nations to discuss drastic disarmament measures should be summoned immediately.” Mr Lloyd George went on to say: “I shall continue my lifelong opposi-tion-to the. policy of raising the prices of goods at Home, and'of impeding our foreign trade, by protection. Freer trade, -for all nations, is the only road to prosperity I” ... LLOYD GEORGE’S BID. LONDON, May 25. •• Mr Lloyd George in his election address, stresses unemployment as being the leading domestic issue. The Liberal policy he says is a practical one, and not one of more election promises. Speaking at Pwllheli, Mr Lloyd George said that his policy was “work or maintenance.” He favoured not only trading, but diplomatic relations with Russia. y When he was asked which -party ho would support if none of tiie parties had a. clear majority, Mr Lloyd George replied: “This is an attempt to get me to say that I shall support'- Labour. Will Labour support us? We have just as much right to ask them. We are not going as bondsmen or slaves to ahy party. We-are free-aiid independent.

Mlt MACDONALD’S ANALYSIS. f LONDON, May 25., Air Ramsay MacDonald spoke at an immense Labour Demonstration in the historic Free -Trade Hall, Manchester. Ho said that Mr Lloyd George’s unemployment pledge was “about his forty-ninth pledge.” The other pledges included that of hanging the Kaiser, and making Germany pay, and making England “fit for heroes.” The Labour Loader provoked laughter by reciting the record of the Liberal Party on the divisions in the House of Commons dealing with unemploment, some Of them voting, in one way, and some in another, while most of them voted not at all. Mr MacDonald asked Mr Baldwin to say, in a straightforward way. what his trade policy was. and let it be one of the issues at the election next week. He said: Suppose everyone of Mr Baldwin’s hopes is fulfilled and every industry in the country becomes “safeguarded,” will he sav what is the difference between that and a simple, honest policy of general protection ? AVe want to know definitely is the Government going to safeguard iron and steel, or not? To the Tory policy of safeguarding. Labour was opposed, but Labour favoured a policy of levelling up the international working conditions hv international agreements. Labour wanted free trade but not free trade alone. ‘Labour would ratify the AVasbington Eight Hours Day Convention. Labour would find the money to develop the International Labour Office, ‘because it did not want to sacrifice the living conditions of our peoolo to foreign competition, and lower the conditions of life.” ’ Speaking earlier, at Crewe, AL MacDonald commented on the lavish election expenditure of tho other parties. He said that lie favoured an Act making it compulsory for ' tho Party organisations to file publicly a full statement of income and expenditure.