May Support Liberals

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 625, 30 March 1929, Page 7

May Support Liberals

TWO BIG NEWSPAPER GROUPS “Conservative Party Not For Sale” THE possibility of Mr. Lloyd George, Leader of the Liberal Party, being supported in his election campaign by Viscount Rothermere and Lord Beaverbrook —two men who wield enormous influence on public opinion through the respective groups of newspapers which they control—is evident from editorial comment in London.

(United P.A.—By Telegraph Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association)

LONDON, Thursday. Originally it was intended that tie Prime Minister, Mr. BaldwTn, should outline the general election programme of the Conservatives on April 25. However, owing to party pressure, it is very likely that his pronouncement will be expedited and probably will be made on April IS, immediately following the Budget. There is every indication in editorial articles, which generally feature the speeches of Mr. Lloyd George, that the - large group of London news-pap-ers controlled by Viscount Bothermere, also possibly the group controlled by Lord Beaverbrook, may abandon the Conservatives and champion the Liberals at the general election. This is probable unless

j I ho unlikely alternative proposal of a Coalition Government, advanced by the

Rothermere group, should be adopted. The “Morning Post,” the chief Ministerial organ, in noting this tendency says: “From the general tone of these papers it seems more than likely that the two magnates who control them find in Mr. Lloyd George the man for their money. This is a great pity, for no doubt this is enormous. “The Press must influence thoughtless people to a considerable extent and may persuade them to a course which seems to us suicide. Men with such power as has been given to these two newspaper magnates by inscrutable Providence should think twice or thrice. “As for the proposal advanced by them that Mr. Baldwin should enter a Coalition with Mr. George, well Mr. George may be able to bully the Liberal Party, but the Conservative Party is not for sale.” Viscount Rothermere; formerly Sir Harold Harmsworth, is chief proprietor of the “Daily Mail,” “Daily Mirror,” “London Evening- News” and other papers. Lord Beaverbrook controls the “Daily Express” group.