ATTITUDE OF LIBERALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18635, 29 April 1924, Page 7

ATTITUDE OF LIBERALS.

anti-socialist move. 4 LABOUR, AND LLOYD GEORGE. Australian and W.Z. Cable _ CRecd. 9.35 p.».) LONDON. April 27. ■ Speaking at Burton, Mr. J. R. C1 > nes ' Lord Privy Seal and Deputy Leader th» House of Commons, referring to M . Lloyd George's reproaches, denied 1 . . the Labour Government was ungrateful to anv party. . We have not avoided consultations calculated to secure the smooth working of Parliamentary business, he declared. On the contrary we have appealed *or them. But Labour cannot consent to an arrangement which would mean the forfeiture of any labour principle or item of Labour policy. . Speaking at, Durham, Mr. E. Shimvelh Parliamentary Secretary for Mines, saia that Labour was not dismayed by Mr. Lloyd .George's threats. The more he threatened the longer Labour was likely to survive. Mr. Lloyd George had himself destroyed Liberalise. Mr. Frederick Guest, who was chief Liberal Whip for the Coalition Government, has written to Mr. H. H. Asquith stating that though a Coalition of the Liberals, and the Conservatives is now impossible and undesirable, the Socialists well-organised subversive movement against the economic life of the country, especially the nationalisation of industries, demands common action on the part of Liberals and Conservatives. ' Mr. Guest predicts that many Liberals, while retaining Liberal principles, will feel it their duty to co-operate with the Conservatives for the definite purposo of defeating the Socialists' intentions. The Daily Mail comments that Mr. Guest and other Liberals desire to form a Liberal-Unionist group to co-operate with the Conservatives. The movement may die out unless the Conservative leaders give an assurance of a working arrangement by which Conservative candidates will not oppose these Liberals at the next elections.

Speaking at Llanfairfechan last week Mr. Lloyd George declared that it was absolutely untrue that there was a revolt ajaiust. Mr. Asquith in the ranks of the Liberal Party. There was, however, a re-roll against the humiliating conditions under which the Liberals were expected to keep in power a Government which had never concealed its hostility toward them. Labour speakers had -aid that the Liberal Party was done for. They were told that there would be no election for two or three years, and that in the meantime the Liberals would be, open to be drawn bv labour over the rough roads of Parliament and finally to be slaughtered. Mr. Lloyd George asserted that the Prime Minister, Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald, in three months, had dishipated the stock of goodwill of those who had put Labour in office. The Labour Party should reconsider its attitude before it was too late. Mr. Mac Donald should wrap a wet towel round his head. He thought hi! would discover that the Conservatives were seeking to turn him out of office as quickly as possible, whereas the Liberals were willing to help him to do well. Only a lunatic would deliberately make enemies out of friends. Speaking at Llandudno, Mr. Lloyd George said : "I am asked why we put the Labour Party into power. It was a horrible choice. We had to chcose between thoroughly muddle-headed diehards and fairly intelligent Socialists. The last Government lowered Britain s prestige throughout the world, and wo could not vote for a Government which made an appalling settlement of the American debt. The Liberals, therefore, chose to support a fairly intelligent party. Mr. Mac Donald says he is going to remain in office for two cr three years carrying out Labour ideals, but he must know that "hat is humbug, as Labour ideas include the overthrow of the existing system of private enterprise and tho destruction of the system of private property, substituting communal property."