BRITISH ELECTIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 December 1923, Page 2

BRITISH ELECTIONS.

[Reuters Telegrams.] LAST THREE DAYS. LONDON, Dec. 3. Throe more days remain for electioneering. Forty thousand meetings will he held before the polling, representing the final effort of 1397 candidates to influence 18,378,000 electors in the most strenuous election of modern times. None of the three Parties expect a land-slide, though the .Marquis ol Lincolnshire has sent a message to the Liberal candidates in the Home countries stating that reports from all parts of the country were simply stupendous, and a victory is clearly in sight. The Conservative headquarters saj that they expect to lose some seats to the Liberals, hut they expect to win from Labour. Mr Arthur Henderson frankly stated that the Labour Party was not yet sufficiently strong to form a Government.

The attitude of 7,890,900 women electors is recognised by all parties to he verv difficult fo forecast.

AYliiie the Conservatists are emphasising the terrors of unemployment, the Liberals are placarding the country with the election cry “Your Food AA'ill Cost A’ou Alore!” Air Baldwin, in a manifesto to the women voters, addressed to Airs Bridgiiian, Chairwomen of the AA’omen’s Unionist Organisation, characterises this cry as “A dishonourable attempt to scare the housewife.” He says:—“ln a million British homes to-day, the breadwinner is out of work. Growing boys are deprived of their chance in life. This cannot go on. The patieneo of the world css must not pass into despair. The women of the country must help the men to end it, by trying lo find the workless employment in their own trades, at good wages. By protecting home industries, we call give them fair play. Thus the fear of want, penury and hunger will vanish. The Conservative programihe will encourage the production of Home and Empire foodstuffs.” Lady Terrington, the Liberal candidate for High AA'ynconihe, says that if returned, she intends to wear the b esc i lollies in AVestminstor. She will put on ospreys, a fur coat, and pearls. She does not believe in women politicians wearing dull little frocks with Quakerish collars, and keeping their nicest clothes for social appearances. It is all humbug. An immense crowd at Muston Station greeted Mr L loyd George when returning to London after his provincial tour, lie had great difficulty in reaching his motor ear. In response to calls for a speech, he said:—“On Thursday you will find there are millions of n majority for free trade.’’

Almost the only political meetings on Sunday were organised by the Labour l’arty. Among them was an astonishing pandemonium at the Battersea Public Baths, whore Air Saklatvala, a Communist candidate, had offered the Liberals an opportunity of presenting their ease to the electors from the Labour platform. The rowdy elements at Battersea are not allowed at Liberal meetings. The meeting was characterised hv screaming women and howling men, who jeered.

A Liberal speaker was greeted with cries of “Dirty Dog,” “Rotten Cad.”

Air Saklatovala cried:—“l say, let us abolish the Union Jack.” (Cheers). Me concluded :—"I am a man with a great affection, regard, and esteem for Lenin.’

In an article in the Daily Express, Lord Beaverbrook further defined his policy as “Mote markets abroad in order to prevent unemployment in Britain. Since the demand from Europe has been destroyed for many years to come, the only possible markets lie in the British Empire. If a proper system of Imperial preferential tariff's is instituted, the Empire can become as self-contained as the United States.”