BRITISH ELECTIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 November 1923, Page 2

BRITISH ELECTIONS.

[Rel’tejis Telkguams.] A NEW ZEALANDER IN CONTEST. LONDON, November 21. Dot-tor Chappie, a New Zealander, will lecojttest the Dumfrieshire seat t.s a Liberal free trader. ELECTION ORATORY. LONDON. Nov. 21. The lloodgates of election oratory are agape.. The constituencies are swamped with arguments pro and tinti_ tariff, and pro and anti-capita! levy. There is also literature. The Unionist Central Office alone has already despatched thirty tons of election matter to the constituencies. Mr Baldwin at Reading, Sir R. Horne at Glasgow. Mr Austen Chamberlain and Mr Amerv at Birmingham, will he the principal advocates of tariff reform on AA’ednesday. LLOYD GEORGE’S RKIM.A’. LONDON, Nov. 21. Air Lloyd George opened his election campaign before a packed audience at the Queen’s Hall. Replying to a speech deliveied by Mr Baldwin on Monday, he said: The Tory Party, when worried, always took to tariffs, as some people took to alcohol. Credit had declined in Britain since Air Baldwin took up his job, and the only contry where wages were on a level with Britain were in free trade Holland. Free trade had given British commerce, trade and finance such a vitality that Britain’s c-iedit alone in Europe had been restored, and free imports were keeping Britain alive. To change their fiscal policy in order to keep the home (ires burning would be like a. dru.nkal'd breaking up tho furniture and flinging it into the lire. ''Restore peace in Central Europe,” he said, “and trade will look alter itself.”

Mr Lloyd* George, from the Opposition standpoint had the day practically to himself. His Queen’s Hall address was a reply to Air Baldwin’s recent speech on the same platform. The great hall was packed to the doois. Before turning to the election, Mr Lloyd George, paid an eloquent tribute to tlie late Dr. Clifford, the recently deceased Noil-Conformist leader. At Alt' Lloyd George's request, the audience stood silent for it I'e'-v moments in reverence to Dr. Clifford's memory. The speech was very characteristic of Air Lloyd George’s platform oratory, in rapid illustration, amusing analogies, and stinging satire. Perhaps the most otiginal passage was a demand that Air Bajduiu .should explain, “why ho thought it would cure a shell-shocked patient if a mine were blown up under his feet.” Air Lloyd George milled then when a ship had sprung a leak from ;t terrific explosion it was not a tinker’s job. Air Baldwin had done nothing but talk, talk. talk. Be had not done a single, act. AA’hat. they wanted, said Air Lloyd George, wan someone who would tackle the job. “I am not an applicant,” lie said, “peace is the real remedy. AA’o want a man who will pursue the problem of petiee with a single and dauntless heart.”

Mr I.lovd George’s election itinerary has been published. He leaves Fusion on Friday morning for Glasgow. Thence he goes to Paisley to assist Air Asquith. He goes on to Newcastle on Alondav, thence to Sunderland. His evening meeting will he at Leeds on Tuesday. The following two days will he spent in Lancashire, and the weekend in North AVales, in Jiis own constituency, where Alt Austin Jones. & Conservative, is opposing him. Air I.lovd George, on Monday, 3rd. Docmn--1 ci\ will he at Norwich: and cn Tuesday, in South AVales. AIR. BALPAYLVS CAMPAIGN. LONDON. November 22. Alt' Baldwin, speaking at Beading was greeted by a crowded meeting, the ■ gathering singing “Keep the Home piles Binning!" Replying to Air As. i quith’s charge that (his election was ; being rushed, he said Air Asquith had evidently forgotten the year 1910, when he only gave the electors three weeks to decide a most important matter. In an illuminating passage Air Ilakl- : win explained the reason why the Government had decided not to tax the essential articles of food, and said: ■‘Firstly our country having become under free trade an industrial country, we are unable to feed our own people, and so tho pices of food might rise if taxed.” Continuing, Air Baldwin said : “Secondly, there hail come from the Dominions no offer of preference which would involve the imposition of a food tariff in this country. If an extremely advantageous offer wore made in regard to our manufactures, and if the offer was a reasonably good one with regard to our export trade, it might then be possible to lay it before the country: but. at present there was nothing of the kind to justify the Government in taxing food supplies. Lord Robert Cecil denied rumours of I;is resignation. He declared that as long as the Cabinet supported the League of Nations, he would gladly cooperate. He always was a Free Trader but that dill not mean that it was no part of his duty to assist- in procuring fair treatment for British expoits in foreign mn.rkct.s. The Government should be given the liberty to produce economic proposals. LABOUR. LEADER’S TOUR. LONDON, November 22. Tho Labour Leader, Air Ramsay Af.cRoiiald. to-day motored from Bristol to Gloucester. His first big speech was made at the Forest of Dean where one thousand miners were awaiting him. Air .MacDonald appealed for some arrangement with the Dominions on the subject of migration. He said that it some of Britain’s eiiterpi ising skilled men must go to the dominions, then the dominions should agree to take also some of Britain’s second grade men. A crowd at Newport towed Air AlacDonald’s ear for a mile through the streets to the hall where he “poke. Five thousand people were gathered in the hall. Mr AfacDonald and the Labour candidate for Newport were hoisted on the shoulders of their sopj.oi tct> and carried into the hall. KX-C'OALITK>.\ All NISTER. LONDON. November 21. Doctor Addison, iornier Minister oi Health, is supporting Labour at the elections. He does -u on the grounds that he believes that the Labour Party is more resolutely intent oil providing houses than any other pnitv • MR CHURCHILL IN HOSTILE TERRITORY. LONDON, November 21. There were rowdv scenes at AVilisten Churchill's first meeting at Leicester. Owing to a lack of police the mob rushed the hall, so tile ticket holders' seats were taken. AAhcn, AD Churchill appeared it was evident that a big hostile element was present. He described the election as “an ambush election.” In three hours, he said the Cabinet had decided to make this wild plunge. It was a good thing for Air Baldwin’s reputation as an honest man that- he did not realise how sharp were the utiles which his party AVtps employ*

ing. If tho Conservatives onmo into power, there would bo a desperate fight over tariffs, and the lobbies of Parliament would be crowded with representatives of various industries and interests. LADY ASTOR’S CAMPAIGN. LONDON. November 21. Qua zing scenes were witnessed at l.ady Aster's meeting at Plymouth. The meeting was held in a. Lot Communist quarter of the town. Though it is supposed to he only a small ward, the meeting was crowded densely-. Lady Astor had to climb through a window to enter the hall. Tim Plymouth “Imperial Conservatives'’ are not opposing l.adv Astor. though they have issued if manifesto describing her as a “Nornuuil Conservative,” whose views and actions render her politically unacceptable to a large number of 1 Belong Conservatives. ' LORD LEA'ERHUI.MK’S ATEAVS. NEAY YORK. November 22. Lord l.evcrhulme here predicts a failure of Air Baldwin's protection programme stating it will cause nioie unemployment in England. He said England would jay her war debts irrespective of what other nations do, but America's tariff will make it very diffit ult for Iter to meet her debt requirements.