BRITISH POLITICS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8536, 17 March 1908, Page 7

BRITISH POLITICS.

JOHN BURNS ATTACKED. (By Electric Telegraph—Hopyrigrht) Per Press Association. ' LONDON, March 16. At a Socialist mooting at Batteisea on Sundav, Mr John Burns was bitterly attacked. " Mr Mat-heson, M.P., declared that Mr Burns' speech in the debate- on the Labour Jiill (published yesterday) sent a thrill of disgust through the Commons. The Spectator considers that Mr LloydGcorgo and Mr Winston Churchill are Protectionists at heart and are anxious to form a new Liberalism on the basis of nationalisation of the railways, canal development and afforestation, in order to encourage homo industries and counterbalance natural fluctuations in the outside world made by moans of bounties and other expedients, but are unwilling to adopt the Tariff Reform List and bo accused of stealing the Unionist thunder. Mr Whitcly, Government "Whip, speaking at Pudsey, and referring to the Liberal defections in Friday's vote, declared that a small Liberal section are always in a state of semi-Socialism. They considered they were entitled to run with the Liberal bare and hunt with the Socialist bounds. Though wedded to Liberals they thought they were entitled to philander and flirt with Socialism in order to bettor their position with their constituents, but the;/ cannot serve God and mammon. If the country thinks Liberals are saturated with or tainted by Socialism there would be a deplorable split in tho party. The evidence that they were apt to lose support of the vast bulk of the moderate opinion was already accumulating. The Chronicle rejoices in the rejection of the Bill for making unemployment chronic and creating tho maximum of disturbance to organised industry and cost to the State.