DEMOCRACY'S DANGER

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 53, 24 October 1931, Page 3

DEMOCRACY'S DANGER

(Press Assn-

ELECTION ISSUES MR. BALDWIN PUTS POSITION PLAINLY BEFORE ELECTORS "TURNING POINT IN HISTORY"

-By Telegraph — Copyright).

Ree. Oct. 23, 5.5 p.xn. LONDON, Thursday. Mr.' Stanley Baldwin, in a broadcast speech said that if Labour were returned nothing would save the pound from immediate and irretrievable collapse. The issue was national bank- . ruptcy on the one hand and national co-operation and reconstruction on the other. Labour members, after approving of a tariff in the Cabinet, were trying to delude the electors into the belief that the tariff meant an attack on wages. If such tactics prevailed, he continued, dexnoeracy would have failed f orever. The eleetion was the turning point of British history. The eleetors must choosse between a Government consisting of the best elements of the three parties, and the Socialist Party, the policy of which Mr. Snowden had described as "Bolshevism run ainok." Lloyd Georges Effort Determined not to be out of the eleetion fight, Mr. D. Lloyd George made a speech at his home at Chirt, which was reproduced on grampphone records and circulated throughout the constituencies. Mr. Thomas's New Role One of the few lighter interludes in the eleetion, and one typieal of Mr. J. H. Thomas, occurred at a lunch hour- meeting of railwaymen at Derby. A number of men began singing "Tell me the old, old story." Instead. of showing annoyance, Mr. Thomas good-humouredly seized his stick and assumed the roll of conductor, after which he was given a patient hearing. Mr. Thomas said that if they were satisfied he had acted against their interests they could vote against him. He warned them not to squirm if on Wednesday the £ had dropped 4/or 5/- in the event of the vote going against the National Government. The ex-Cabinet Minister, Mr. W. Graham questioned Mr. Snowden's statement of the Labour Cabinet's decision regarding tariff s and stated that he adhered to his own version of the Cabinet discussions.