BRITISH ELECTIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 December 1923, Page 2

BRITISH ELECTIONS.

[HiaTKits Teleghams.] A COALITION I’HKDIITKD. J.ONDON, Dec. 8. ••The Times" editorially emphasises the completeness of the tleleat of the programme upon which everything had been staked, and the whole election fought. It attributes the result to the fact that the mass of the electors are convinced that tariff will raise prices, and says:—‘-The Government is practically impotent, and stalemated. 'J here will inevitably he a Coalition. Air llald win is confronted by a most difficult problem. None of the three parties can form a strong, stable government- without an alliance, a working arrangement, or a coalition. Mr Baldwin has the choice of trying to promote such an alliance or ot allowing the Opposition to form an alliance against him. He may decide to meet Parliament, and await, or invite, inevitable defeat. Sooner or later there must he a definite decision in the direction in which Conservatism is tending. Mr Baldwin’s first duty is still to provide the King with a Oovornment capable of governing.”

1.18-LAB COALITION. LONDON, Dec

T he “Morning Post,” a Conservative organ says it declines to waste time an reproaches or lamentations. It lakes tlie view that the mistake made was not the past timidity, and it proceeds to assume that Mr Baldwin "ill resign. The paper urges that “since the present calamities have come ehietlv from the degradation of the Consc. vatives in the bondage of Coalition, H»o Conservatives should refuse ever again to join a Coalition of any sort if they now arc not strong enough in govern alone, let the other side try u- hand. "If there is to he a Coaliti ill. we think there is a-much-greater a!!ii; , ‘y between Mr Lloyd George am! Mr Ramsay MacDonald than bet ween the Conservatives and Liberal. Me make these observations in full knowledge or the terrible risks the count-v runs ot Government by a Radical-Socialist coalition. hut also, we see that the list hope of salvation lies in a free, shmig independent, salt’ respecting ( on-t-rva-livc Party, rather than in a weak, discredited. unpopular centre coalition.’ Tlie “Daily Telegraph” says: : “The country did not -want this election. It could not tolerate another. We have to-day the three-party system, and wo must accept- the consequences, so long as it endures. We had believed in Mr Baldwin's proposals. Wo believe in them still: hut we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that a victory for a tariff reform is out of question so lung as Lancashire does not waver from its faith.”

COALITION SOUGHT. LONDON. Dec. 8.

The “Daily Telegraph” says:—“lt is the plain duty of I lie two Constitutionalist- parties to come together. We care little who is Prime Minister. What- is important is that there shall lie stable Government on the lines generally accepted by these parties. It is open to .Mr Lloyd George to say that lie warned the Conservative party what would happen if they broke up the Coalition. We recall the words, because Mr Lloyd George is hound to play a dominant part- in the extraordinary position which lias arisen. We repeat Hull there must he co-operation or ruin. II the Liberals withhold consent, or the Richards raise any vain opposition, there probably will he a Socialist Government immediately to open up negernment within a low months. \Ye urge the Government immediately to open negotiations with the Liberals.

r.xi'RKi'EWK.vreo iDsrrios. London. December 7. J he election returns make the situation one that is unprecedented in British political history. The three parties are alike powerless to govern their numbers being so much more even than before. Their mute differences may make a- pact, impossible. The only solution possible "ill he a temporary working arrangement. FIVE ROSSI RLE ALTERNATIVES. LONDON. December S. What will happen next ? This is the question that is everywhere being asked. the pi ess discusses the situation speculatively. Seeing that it is unprecedented in the variety of alternative? that are being debated, it may he summed up this way:—First, Mr Baldwin m»\ resign, Imt the King may not acicpt his resignation, so Mr Baldwin may carry on with ui.eoiueiitiou- legislation, and another election may he field in 12 months time. Secondly, Lord Derby. and the other non-tariff members o 1 ’ tile Conservative Party may carry on instead of Mr Baldwin. Thirdly t lu* Conservatives anil Liberals may form a. Coalition. Fourthly, the King may -end tor Mr Ramsay MacDonald, who. may agree to form a Cabinet, the Conservatives and Liberals acquiescing. conditional on there being no ecuti lit ions legislation and no capital levy. Fifthly-, the Labourites and Liberals may fonn a Coalition, and carry measures mutually agreed upon. LONDON. December 8. At the declaration of the poll at liewdley, the Premier. Mr Baldwin, said “From the look of things, I am going to have rather a difficult time; hut 1. am never afraid of difficulties. At all events, I shall lie able to face them, knowing more than ever, that 1 have your confidence and siippoi t.” Mi Asquith met a large crowd upon his arrival from Scotland. In response to incessant demands for a speech, he saiil: - “ i his election has been one of the most dlScredituhlo adventures ir. history. What is the result ? Free Cade is safe; protection is dead am? luilied.”

NO COALITION FOR LABOFB. LONDON, December S. Tlic Labour J’aity officials to-day are emphatic in opposing the Party co-op crating with the Liberals. LONDON, December 8. Referring to the suggestion for a Lib-eral-Labour coalition, the Labour pa pci “Daily Herald.'' objects. It says in r leading article: -“When Mr Baldwin resigns, as hi 1 must, the King will sent tor Air R. Macdonald (Labour Lender). The Asquithian Liberals are suggesting a Coalition with a Labour Prime Alinistci. Air Asquith holding a prominent post, and Lord Grey as Foreign Secietaiy. They say that Labour and the Liberals at any rate agree regarding foreign affairs. Our reply is that nothing of the kind will 1° listened to by the leaders of the rank and tile of the Labour Party. To suggest that Lord Grey and Air Asquith are in harmony viih Labour's views on foreign policy is to betray an ignorance of the history of the past 20 years. Whatever the alternative, even if it is a realisation of the Beaverbrook-Uothermere plan to revive the Lloyd George Coal/ tion, it must he preferred by us to any union with men whom we have such an unconquerable reason to distrust. Between official Liberalism and Labour, foreign affairs form as great a gulf as home affairs. All wo have to do is to wait a while for complete power. A Tory-Liberal Coalition will play into our hands, and will drive all decent Liberals into Labour's ranks,

At next election. Labour will sweep the board.

REJECTED LIBERAL'S VIEW. LONDON, December 8. Sir A. Mond, interviewed, said: ‘ Lord Derby, being more or less a free tuuler, might carry on. He might form a Government and carry on a policy of tranquility for the time being. Theie is one measure which must he carried before next election. That is the provision for a second ballot for threecornered contests. I submitted this "hen I was a Minister, being of the, cpiniou for years that this present systen is opposed to democratic representation.’’ LIBERAL COMMENT. The “Daily Chronicle” says:— trade has decisively triumphed to-day. Mr Baldwin, as a reward for tlie shabbiest election trick ever stooped to by a. British Prime Minister, finds bis sale majority of 77, which his Government could have enjoyed for four years, .(snivelled into a minority ot about one hundred. Besides a universal uprising against protection and hi i’ll prices, in which, it seems certain women voters took part. there may also be discerned some general movement towards the Lett. It is too early to say what the next step " ill be, with our throe-cornered parliament.’

FRENCH PRESS .DIRAI,’POINTED

LONDON, Dee. S. A Paris message states that tlie -British election results have caused disappointment there, where it has generally been assumed that a Baldwin Govrnment would !>o less antagonistic to France than any other. The newspaper “Liberto” says:— “The results mean that the restoration of Germany by lenient methods will again he vehemently demanded. The maintenance of the Entente will be more difficult than ever, if Mr Lloyd George does not return to power. and almost impossible it he does.” “Le Temps” says:—“Ever since the British dissolution, the French policy has been directed to the strengthening of tlie Entente, and the basis of agreement- lias been found. If Mr Baldwin had won. it would have given a J new leaso of lilt* to the Entente free from disagreement."

GERMAN HOPES OF LLOYD GEORGE. LONDON, Dec. 8. The Berlin newspapers welcome the defeat of the British Conservatives. Some German evening papers display portraits of “Lloyd George, the victor.” The radical paper “Vossiche quitting” says it- already foresees Mr Lloyd George as Prime Minister, and it eagerly awaits the carrying out of his promises made in America in favour of the unequivocal condemnation of France’s Ruhr policy, and the extension to Germany of every possible assistance in connection with the reparations. and the revival of her economic activity. NEtV YORK PRESS COMMENT. NEW YORK. Dec. 8. Terming the verdict of tlie .British public in tlie elections “a thoroughly deserved defeat lor Conservatives, the New York “World” scorns tlie Baldwin Government for its foreign it lid domestic policies. It says:—“Tim need of Britain is a peace so complete that Europe can recover the power to buy and tscll.” The “diehards” in the Conservative Party, it says, have supported the imperialistic policy of France, which caused the Party to fumble tin- issue raised by the French occupation of the Ruhr. I nder the Conservative •Government. it- "-says, “British prestige sank to the lowest point in a generation, and Britain was almost driven out of Europe altogether.” The tariff issue raised by v Mr Bald" in it terms “a fed herring used in an attempt to retrieve the lostposition of the Government. The New York “World” declares:— “M. Poincare, as well as Mr Baldwin, was beaten in the British elections. The “Tribune” is of the opinion that the off-hand maimer in which Mr Baldwin forced tlie tariff issue upon tlie British public irritated both the politicians and the electors, disorganised the Conservative Party, and alienated powerful newspaper support. It declares the tariff issue in Britain apparently is unmanageable, and says that the future cannot be forecasted. TARIFF REFORMERS’ VIEWS. (Received this dav at 8 a.m.) LONDON. Dee. !h Mr Garvin, in the “Observer” says his honest conviction is that the tariff* will lie carried and maintained some day in Britain as in Australia by Labour co-operation ; but as a plank in tlie Unionist Party's programme it must be chopped out with a prompt axe. He proceeds to argue that as the chief Unionist proposal has been rejected, the chief Labour proposal is oven more decisively rejected. J.ihralism should be compelled to face the responsibility for the situation which its electioneering methods, supported by the manoeuvres of tlie press trusts, have created.