HOME POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 January 1922, Page 5

HOME POLITICS.

QUESTION OF. ELECTIONS, MORE SERIOUS TASKS, REBUILDING OF EUROPE, K By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Jan. 22, 5.5 p.m. London, Jan. 20. The Premier, addressing a Liberal Conference, said there had been a great deal of talk about a general election, but he did not start it and had not made up his mind on the matter. Tt was not his business to do so until the last moment. Mr. Lloyd George added: “The Liberal Coalitionists are definitely pledged to the reform of the House of Lords, and whether an election comes early or late we shall have but one policy to put before the country. It will not be dictated by electioneering exigencies, but will be demanded by the needs of the country and the woidd.” He pointed out that trade was in a worse position throughout the world than anybody had ever before witnessed. International confidence was at the base of international trade, and the .whole problem was summed up in the phrase restoration of international confidence. That was the task which confronted all Governments. The less Governments interfered with trade the better for trade and the Governments too.

There was but one urgent programme and that was to establish real peace. They owed a debt of gratitude to Mr. A. J. Balfour for his work at Washington. All the nations had been invited to Genoa, because they wanted to end constant wars and rumors of war. He appealed to all to come to Genoa in this spirit. He was a believer in the League of Nations, but he wished some of its friends would not run it as if it were a sort of little party show. A cry for the return to the old methods of diplomacy came from the country which had been devastated by war. The thousand experts who would attend Genoa would be cheaper than military experts, whose last conference in Europe left ten million dead on the debating grour ’. They had better try another kind of conference. (Cheers.) It was essential to reduce taxpayers’ burdens to the lowest possible, consistent with national security and efficiency. There were people who talked about the Geddes economy axe, but they had little idea how many nails were in the wood. He hoped shortly to publish the economy committee’s report. The preservation of the nation’s unity was imperative. If it restores party strife the statesmen whose energies should be devoted to restoring the world after the war would be absorbed in petty party conflicts. We had achieved great things by national unity, and it would be. fatal at this hour to return to the old party conflicts.

Mr. Winston Churchill said we must make sure that the burden oi taxation is speedily reduced. The advent of a Socialistic Government would be national and Imperial disaster. The Socialist Party had shown itself quite unfit to govern. If the Liberals were going to have' their point of view in the government oiS the country they could not be content with a purely critical and destructive function; they must deal effectively with Socialist spouters and all other advocates of inefficiency and reaction.

COALITION LIBERAL RALLY. •Received Jan. 22, 5.5 p.m, London, Jan. 20. The Coalition Liberal rally included several dinners by leading officials to members and their wives, and also a reception at Devonshire House to Mr. Lloyd George and Mrs. Lloyd George. Nearly three thousand guests attended. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. CONFERENCE OF COALITIONISTS. FAITH IN MR. LLOYD GEORGE, London, .Jan, 20. A National Liberal Conference, comprising 2700 Coalitionist delegates', is meeting in London with a view to creating a new party organisation, distinct from the “Wee Frees.” Sir Gordon Hewart claimed that their party was the Liberal party, and complained that the old Liberal Party had driven out and condemned them unheard, because they had supported Mr. Lloyd George. He believed that Mr. Lloyd George’s only unfortunate sin, in the eyes of the Independent Liberals, was that at the critical moment he had shown himself to be the only Liberal fitted to lead the party and the Government. Their policy was still peace, retrenchment and reform. The necessity of keeping up their wicket and the maintenance of a fair allocation of Coalition seats demanded the new organisation. —Aus.N.Z. CAble Assn. A STIRRING SPEECH. BY MR. WINSTON CHURCHILL. London, Jan. 20. 'Mr. Winston Churchill, addressing the Liberal Conference, said if they took newspaper opinions they would suppose that the Government was torn by the fiercest divisions, and that their Parliamentary majority was about to crumble and break to pieces. The strength of the Coalition Liberals and Conservatives was very great, how great those speculating on the Coalition’*! downfall might learn as years go by. The powerful forces now gathered together under the Prime Minister’s leadership would not easily be overthrown. Stability was the nation’s main interest. Recuperation required stability and national co-operation, not party strife. If stability was needed at Home it was even more needed abroad. Europe was almost ruined. With 2,000,000 unemployed we were bound to consider the revival of the world’s credits and give a stimulus to the purchasing power of our potential customers. These tasks the Primo Minister was well engaged upon. Tn so far as political parties and combinations conformed to these ends they would prosper; diverge from them and they would fail. With such serious problems confronting them they could not afford the luxury of. needless factions. Aus.-N.Z. Cable'Assn.