The Daily News. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1920. BRITISH POLITICAL SITUATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 February 1920, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1920. BRITISH POLITICAL SITUATION.

"Nothing but our best and utmost can pull us through." This impressive utterance was' madu by Mr. Lloyd George in the extremely crucial days of 1915, when the full extent of the gigantic j task -which faced the Empire became plainly manifest. In the political turmoil which is now being stirred up in Britain, the words quoted above are as pregnant with meaning as they were in war time. It may be even that they have an added force by reason of the fact that the post War problems are more puzzling and demand more strenuous thought and care than was the case in the conflict with a foreign' enemy. Internal affairs invariably present a tangled appearance that is emphasised by party strife. Britain is bearing a load of such magnitude that nothing but whole-hearted concentration on the problems to be solved will enable her to emerge from the reconstruction era unscathed. Never has there been such a time when the best energies of all classes, and especially of those who have the onerous duty of' guiding the destiny of the nation; are so sorely needed. The imtaensity of the task demands unity, but the exigencies of party politics are to the fore, and Mr. Asquith has been conducting an I electoral campaign at Paisley, the avowed object of which is to smash coalition. In this he has been supported by the Northcliffe Press, which, curiously enough, was a powerful lever in bringing about Mr. Asquith's downfall in December, 1916. At the general election in 1918 (when Mr. Asquith was defeated for East Fyffe) the Coalitionists secured,47B seats, and the Non-Coalitionists 229. There was no uncertainty about the state of feeling in the country at that time, the Coalitionists receiving such a preponderance of support that they were fully entitled to consider they had the confidence of the electors in general. Two disturbing factors have since loomed large, one being Labor unrest, and the other, Ireland. No Government that has ever existed has been without its faults of omission and commission, but the Coalition Government of Britain under the leadership of Mr. Lloyd George has a record that stands out as remarkable in accomplishment under trying circumstances of unprecedented gravity and complexity. Mr. Asquith's return to the House of Commons would certainly be generally welcomed if he went back to assist his former political colleagues in their difficult tafik, but his object appears to be to unfurl the banner of his antiquated Liberalism, and wage war on the Coalition. Unfortunately this means pandering tQ 'Labor and coquetting with the lrish question. Great as are Mr. Asquith's attainments, they'are marred by his unprogressiveness, and above all things Britain needs sane, progressive men who will unite in a common effort to deal with the urgent problems of the time -to the exclusion of party aggrandisement. At the recent opening of Parliament the King's speech was singularly perfunctory, and it was Mr. Lloyd George (the Premier) who expounded the important subjects to be dealt with by Parliament. After laying on the Labor Party the onus of holding up the housing scheme by the refusal of the unions to suspend their regulations, the Premier plunged into the Irish question, asking the pertinent question as to whether Ulster ought to be compelled to come under a Parliament for the whole of Ireland. Mr. Asquith has pledged himself to press for the immediate creation of a Na-, tional Parliament in Ireland. He says that he does not fear that the majority would inflict hardship on the minority, and he considers that it would be against Ireland's interests to declare a republic. A republic, however, is just what the Sinn Feiners havej set their hearts on. Labor unrest and the Irish trouble are only two of the urgent problems amongst many. Besides the matters immediately connected with the Peace Treaty and League of Nations, there is the all-important economic question, the stabilisation of currency, the easing of the financial burdens, and carrying out of the work of reconstruction. Obviously large, measures of reform are needed, and these cannot materialise if party warfare again becomes rampant. There is too much at stake to permit of destructive tactics having full play. It is concentration on construction that is vital to the future of Britain, and it is unity of purpose that will count as the main factor in success. To weigh Coalition in the balance would be dangerous, and nothing can be more deprecated than the attempt that is being made to smash the Co-

alition. It is an anxious time, calling for courage, patience and unit' ed effort. -