LEADERS’ LAST WORDS SPOKEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18772, 30 May 1929, Page 16

LEADERS’ LAST WORDS SPOKEN.

ELECTION CAMPAIGN COMES TO AN END.

(United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegx-aph—Copyright.) LONDON, May 29. To-day is the last day of the election campaign. To-night the last words will have been spoken, and to-morrow the people of Britain will go to the polls to give a verdict which will affect not only Britain, but the furthermost outposts of the Empire. The Prime Minister, Mr Stanley Baldwin, will set out this morning on a whirlwind tour of Lancashire. He is expected to make twelve speeches, winding up with a broadcast to the nation this evening, from Manchester. Speaking at Ruscorn yesterday, Mi Baldwin pointed out what the country’s choice to-morrow means. “Britain,” he said, “will be carrying out a great experiment in democracy. Our franchise is now based on adult suffrage. We are the greatest democracy in the world and must make the experiment a success. They have made a mess of it in Russia, and they have a kind of dictatorship in Italy. It may be good for Italy, but we, here, are going to have no dictatorship. We have got to govern ourselves or ‘bust.’ Therefore, whatever jiarty you favour, I want you to do one thing—vote.” Mr Baldwin then proceeded to say they would continue to work for peace at home and abroad, for matters con cerning the health of the people, and for education. The corner had been turned, after the most fearful period of depression ever known. The unemployment figures were falling, not because of any remedy, but owing to the absorption of workers in permanent, sound employment, which was the only remedy.

Mr Ramsay MacDonald, broadcasting from Newcastle-on-Tyne, declared that there were only two parties from which a Government could be drawn, the Conservative Party and the Labour Party. “Give the Labour Party a chance. I and my colleagues wish to talce up the work where we had to leave it in 1924. We tvish to deal with unemployment, develop national resources, and establish peace here and throughout the world. I have visited the country from end to end, and have seen enough to bid me to be of good cheer.”

Mr Lloyd George, at Llandudno, said: “Three months ago, on behalf of my colleagues, I gave a pledge to reduce unemployment to normal within a year. I gave plans and figures. I challenged the Prime Minister to pro duce a single expert to say that the proposals were unworkable. He has not answered. I ask you as a last appeal to say that this unemployment must cease.”

Conservative headquarters maintain confidence that the Government will emerge with a working majority, but they recognised that it will be necessary to poll their full strength throughout the country. The Rothermore Press has broken silence with the cry, “Keep the Socialists Out,” arguing that electors should vote Conservative or Liberal, whichever had the better chance of capturing or retaining a seat. The Beaverbrook Press continues its own campaign for reconditioning the railways. It says that the next Parliament should be a Parliament of in dustry. The rest of the Press follows the party lead. Mr Lloyd George, interviewed, said that he did not expect the Liberals to have a majority, but he would be satisfied if between ninety and a hun dred members were returned, enabling them to hold the balance Vof power He was firmly convinced of a great Liberal revival. “There are 332 industrial seats. Of these, the Socialists must win nearly all if they are to be the strongest party. I do not think that the Conservatives will get more than ten of them. The issue, therefore, is: How many l seats can the Liberals win from Labour? Labour will win a few, but only a few’, outside -the industrial areas. Whatever happens, I do not think the Conservatives will win more than 220 seats. I expect that the Liberals will poll as many votes as the Conservatives, but I cannot say how many seats we will win. The Socialists may poll a greater number of votes than either the Con servatives or the Liberals, but I shall be disappointed if the Liberals are not equal to the Conservatives in the aggre gate. Certainly, I do not expect any party to have a clear majority over the other two.” A manifesto signed by 115 industrialists expresses 1 approval of Mr Lloyd George’s unemployment proposals, and urges the support of the electors. During a free fight at an open-air ( meeting at Islington, the Conservative candidate, Mr Tom Howard, was pulled from a van and stunned. He was rescued by the police. A riot occurred at a Conservative meeting at Liverpool. Two stewards were taken to hospital suffering from razor wounds. Colonel John Ward, speaking at Stoke-on-Trent, stated that the Socialists were determined to end free speech, and he had decided to cancel his meetings in consequence of the organised hooliganism.—Australian Press Association. \