The Press MONDAY, MARCH 4, 1918. Political Future in Britain

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16151, 4 March 1918, Page 6

The Press MONDAY, MARCH 4, 1918. Political Future in Britain

IThero has -not yet been any sequel, in thfl caßTe news, to Mr Asquith's addross Xo the Liberal agents, mentioned in recent papers, but wo may bo sure that the address Has provoked discussion at Horn?. Mr Asquith impressed | upon his friends the necessity of preparing for a general election, and he Ideclared, regarding the Liberal Party, I that it is "notgoing to be obliterated, t If 'or merge its identity in a new fe'nio political combination." "Its Sr' continued independent activity," he ■added, "was never more necessary, as a" the multiple and complicated w'lems of peace reconstruction would JH soon confront us." It is not clear | to whatMr Asquith was referring when fej 0 spoke of a new embryonic combinawhicK the Liberal Party may people, to "bf definite w^^ooncerned

only to insist upon the preservation by the Liberal Party of its independent identity. After the war there may perhaps be a return to the old party arrangements, but many things have happened which mak e this far from , likely. A scction of the Unionist • body has formed a new National Party, which is at once a protest against, tho present Unionist leadership, and u precaution against the lapse of Tariff Reform as a live policy. The settlement of tho Irish question may remove Unionism from politics, and thus sot free for the purposes of Liberalism those Liberal Unionists who havo no 1 strong tie with tho Conservatives except the Irish one. Tho Labour Party is developing into something more like an advanced Radical Tarty than for- ' merly. and is certain to profit very largely from the new extension of the franchise, which croates several million new voters. The Liberal Party has also changes and fissures to report. Although a number of Liberal members of Parliament have formally gono over 'to Labour, this cleavage is of no ; great consequence. The important nssure is that which separates the 1 L]oyd-George wing from the main , body led by Mr Asquith. When Mr ' Asquith lost the Prime Ministership, tlier . was no hesitation on the part of ; an overwhelming., majority of the Party • in declaring their continued fidelity to their old leader, and nothing has happenod since then to show any change of heart. On tho contrary, the implied 'opposition to Mr Lloyd George has grown very strong. Prior to che opening of the current session the political correspondent of the Central News Agency, in a statement summarised in a cable message to tho Australian papers, said that active party organisation was in progress, tho immediate stimulus being Mr Henderson's reorganisation of the Labour Party with the avowed object of running 300 candidates. A cable message which we print this morning slates that the party will begin a campaign forthwith all over tho country, and tho Executive has decided to fight every seat whero a candidate is forthcoming. Mr Lloyd George, it would appear, would find himself in difficulties in tho ovent of a genera] election, either during or after th e war. Ho has no machine; and the main Liberal body controls the party funds and organisation, so that for success ho n oula be dependent upon the Unionists and a section of the Liberals. Ono I particularly interesting speculation in tho Central News correspondent's statement concerned Mr Austen Chamberlain. W 0 mentioned the other day that Mr Chamberlain, when opposing tho House of Lords' amendment of tho Representation Bill, made a sharp attack on the Second Chamber, in terms which appeared to imply that he dciied it a representative or authoritative character. This fact, coupled with the possibility that tho Irish question may disappear as a .cause of ; division amongst the parties, has been taken t6 indicate that Mr Chamberi lain may return to th 0 ranks of con- [ structi'vc Liberalism, or tho leadership of a middle party consisting of moderate Unionists and moderate Liberals. Perhaps this middle party is tho combination that Mr Asquith referred to in his address to the Liberal agents. It will be seen from this survey of the changes effected since tho War began tJiat the position is sufficiently confused to make the issue of a general election, when it does take pTace, a matter of great uncertainty.