LIBERAL PARTY REUNION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18345, 10 March 1923, Page 9

LIBERAL PARTY REUNION.

MR. ASQUITH'S PROVISO. NO ANTI-LABOUR SLOGAN. REPLY TO LLOYD GEORGE. By Teloerayh—Press Association—Copyright. A. and N.Z. LONDON, March 8. Mr. H. H. Asquith. speaking at Cambridge, dealt with Liberal reunion, and particularly with Mr. Lloyd George's speech at Edinburgh, in which he suggested a conference to accelerate reunion. "I am all for reunion," said Mr. Asquith. "I believe it is inevitable if we go the right way to secure it, but we ought not to be content with sentimental phrases. I have held high office for 11 years. Does anyone suppose I have not satisfied my ambitions? I only remain in public life in order to help to reinstate the Liberal Parly to its rightful position as the responsible custodian of our national fortunes. But there is no place for me and my friends in a Centre party. I ask if that idea has been definitely abandoned? I hope Liberal unity is coming quickly. There, is no barring of the door, which is always open." "If has been suggested," added Mr. Asquith, "that one result of reunion would be a new programme. What is that to be? Will it bo the slogan of a combined campaign against Labour by the united Liberal Party? That does not appear a sound or attractive watchword. The Liberals have no quarrel with Labour as such; they share many aims with the more responsible factions of the Labour Party. The Liberals need a tenacious adherence to their old principles and organised propaganda, not by claptrap rhetoric, but by appeal to history, animated by sympathetic understanding of the needs of the family of nations." Mr. Lloyd George announces that the National Liberals have abandoned the idea of a Centre Party. He considers no Liberal, as a condition of reunion, should be asked to change his opinion regarding the policy of the Coalition Governments from 1915 to 1922. "My Edinburgh speech," he adds, "was a reply to urgent representations received by Mr. Asquith and myself from all parts of the country in favour of Liberal reunion. My earlier offer to confer with the leaders of the Independent Liberals met no response, but I repeated that it was still open."